If Labour raises taxes what will you think?

[functioningagain]

Typing on my phone so not sure I can do a poll? But, if the government raises income tax or NI at the budget, will you think:

A - let’s get real, they had no other choice
B - those duplicitous / inept bastards

@blossomtoes

Why we really need now is a coalition government with all the best talents working together.

How would a government like that be elected?

Kemi offered to work with Starmer to get benefit reforms through. He disdained it.

Tax rises cannot be the only approach.

It was goady to reply “Clearly” and it’s goady and rude to comment that I’ve added nothing of value. You’re just a very rude poster.

Agree with this.

B

I would rather they cut half of the ridiculous amount they send abroad. I would rather more of my money be in my purse.

@PeonyPatch

It was goady to reply “Clearly” and it’s goady and rude to comment that I’ve added nothing of value. You’re just a very rude poster.

Some posters on MN think they were born superior to others and their opinions are cast in law. If you express a different view it makes you stupid.

OK - in the absence of anyone else doing it I'll put my head above the parapet with some suggestions for reducing Government spending (which I freely admit would be massively unpopular):

Cut the £21 billion ear marked for Carbon Capture Storage
Introduce some sort of nominal payment's scheme to access a GP appointment or hospital appointments to discourage missed appointments or frivolous use (like the 10 p charge on carrier bags)
Make payments for private health or private education tax deductible in order to encourage people not to rely on state provision of these services.
Increase the state pension age by 3 months every year starting now in order avoid cliff edge changes and produce immediate savings now.
Alcohol is under taxed compared to the cost to the economy and the NHS. Tax alcohol sales in supermarkets etc (but not pubs restaurants etc) so that they are at the same level as pubs and restaurants.
Remove the environmental taxes on energy bills and shift it to general taxation, thereby cutting energy costs by a third and keeping industries in the UK.
Big tariff charges on Chinese imports - if you have high energy costs and minimum wages in the UK without tariffs then you are simply exporting jobs.

Broadly agree.

the other thing I would look at is cliff edges in the tax code - £100k tax trap, inheritance tax threshold, vat threshold for self employed, etc. these cliffs are a massive driver of counterproductive behaviour- going part time rather than maintaining full employment, keeping income cash in hand, turning down work as a self employed person (I did this a lot), diverting money to children’s pensions.

Working beyond 16 hours per week seems to be an issue as loss of tax credits cancels the extra income earned.

Perhaps the 16 hour threshold should be moved up to 25?

Or 32, as that seems to be the minimum hours classed as “full time” hours for most surveys etc (I want to know where I can find a full time job that’s only 32 hours, though)

I’d think do it or don’t, but shut up about it all the time. I’m so sick of the endless budget advance bullshit.

Yeah, because the last coalition was so brilliant wasn't it?? No thanks. No guarantee a coalition would be any better than the useless governments we've had for the past few decades. The Tory/Libdem coalition was just a load of nonsensical and illogical horse trading between them without any coherent overall plan.

Nail on the head. Unfortunately all that is complicated and hard to change, and with the current crop of incompetent MPs and senior civil servants, they're not capable of making the changes we need, so it'll just be more of re-arranging the deckchairs and watching things getting worse.

The Tory/Libdem coalition was just a load of nonsensical and illogical horse trading between them without any coherent overall plan.

…as opposed to the current and previous governments without any coherent overall plan? Although I suppose there was probably less horse trading, though not completely sure given the need to placate the back benches of each party.

I think there does need to be cross-party work (not necessarily a coalition) on the most important changes. But that would require a lot more grown-ups in Parliament than we seem to have currently.

I’ll think that other parties would have done the same. Reform probably not, but they would drastically cut essential services.

To be fair I don't necessarily think it is entirely due to incompetent MPs, although there are a scary amount that have no economic understanding and are purely driven by the politics of envy and anger.

But the other driving force for these MPs is that they want to get re elected and as with any government cuts in spending the losers are a lot more vocal than the winners.

Some good ideas there, i'd add in council reform.

Yes Carbon Capture is bonkers.

I wouldn't tax alcohol anymore, its already very expensive.

On Chinese goods, that would be quite inflationary and get us tariffs in return... see the USA.
Almost all our cycling stuff is Chinese made.
There is an awful of hi tech that is built in China, tech we need, US/Western companies who use Chinese manufacturing facilities.

Maintenance avoiders.

Mandatory DNA test for all parties for the avoidance of doubt.
Tagged + movement restrictions.

• Community service and other unpaid labour to the value of the debt.
• Passports need to be handed in to the police until maintenance is paid / all international travel banned.

Same applies to mothers who won't pay.

If they can't or won't pay financially they pay with their time and energy to the value of those payments.

There is enough litter, dogshit, graffiti, fly tipped rubbish and other filth to keep these people busy for years.

@NorthXNorthWest

There is enough litter, dogshit, graffiti, fly tipped rubbish and other filth to keep these people busy for years.

I can see the logic, but hours per week would have to be 16 hours per week maximum. Otherwise they may not qualify for Job Seekers Allowance.

If they were not receiving any benefits at all, would they not reply:

I don’t receive benefits, so why should I be made to work?

They are receiving benefits if the state is paying to bring up their child.

The hours could be made up over weekends, after work, during holidays, bank holidays - even two hours a day is workable after their full time/ part time jobs. If they deliberately take a lower paid job well that longer that the have to live with restrictions. If they get a job then they pay maintenance.

The point is logical consequence, the message being if you have a child it is your responsibility.

“Your responsibility” meaning women, in the main. 🙄

No, both parents.

Not in reality.

We are doomed.