TV Debate - who did best?

[JustineMumsnet]

So there you have it. History in the making; the UK's first live Leaders' election debate. Who do you think did best? Has it confirmed/ clarified your choice or even changed your mind?

Let us know your thoughts in our third election poll and you could win £50 in Boden or Amazon vouchers.

Thanks,
MNHQ

From The Independent: "Here are the facts. David Cameron will give a £1.2bn inheritance tax cut to the richest 2 per cent in Britain ? with most going to the 3,000 wealthiest estates (including his wife's). Then he promises to end the 50p top rate of tax, giving another £2.4bn to the richest 1 per cent. Then he has pledged to cut taxes on the pensions of the richest, handing another £3.2bn to the same 1 per cent. Then his marriage tax relief policies will give 13 times more to the rich than the poor. To pay for this, he will slash programmes for the middle and the skint"

The Change I must have missed that one - was it today's Indy? - please provide link. Ta

jackstarbright - I don't rate your chances of receiving a link to that quote from the Indy.

Swedes - Really I'm waiting with bated breath!!

How are the marriage tax relief policies giving anything to the rich? They have said those earning over £45k won't get anything. They aren't giving much to the poor either with the marriage tax relief either.

I do apologise and Sweedes you're quite right it isn't a quote - I put it in all in quotation marks by mistake. Sorry I was in a hurry before I popped out. All the information about Tory policy comes from the Indy but various articles.

snowlady Even the Tory-loving Telegraph says that the marriage tax break benefits the rich over the poor:
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/6475660/Tories-5-billion-tax-breaks-for-ma rried-couples-benefit-rich-most.html

I suppose the point is that this tax break costs tax revenue. Those that benefit are not those who need it most, which makes it a tax on the poor to give to the not so poor.

the change - that link is out of date. The tories have said no one earning more than £45,000 will get the married persons tax break unless I have misread the press this week.

I am not supporting the tories on this merely stating that it isn't a measure that will help the wealthy. Most of the other tory policies eg. over inheritance tax would help the wealthy.

I also read that it will be paid for by a tax on banks so it is not a tax on the poor.

I am a SAHM and we won't benefit from it anyway as income over threshold. So it will not tempt me to vote tory.

My point still stands that it is a tax break going to people who don't need it the most and is therefore not being spent on those who do. It's also pointless - who is really going to get married or stay married for the sake of £150 or any amount money for that matter?!

I'd be interested to hear more about Tory plans for taxes on banks - I thought they were the only party without much in the way of plans in this area. They have historically been the party most supportive of deregulation of finance and banking.

I think you'll find Labour are the only major party not proposing a further tax on banks (which makes you think - doesn't it?).

Please link to the £2.4bn calculation. The 50% tax rate only just started two weeks ago!

To clarrify:

The LibDems are proposing a bank bonus limit.

Labour are proposing a 'global levy' on bank transactions dependent on international agreement!!

Tories are proposing a unilateral levy. Tory Bank tax.

This one of the cleaner National election campaigns that I have seen for a while..... ....and further more, it is the first time that I genuinely feel that all three of the main PM candidates are genuinely good guys.

Plus we see a third force re-emerging.

In all the squabbling shouldn't celebrate the fact that the state of play of British politics?

[a bit patriotic; I knowwww.mumsnet.com/images/buttons/post_message.gif]