Tory's to hike up VAT to 19.5%

[magentadreamer]

Sorry it's a DM story but another reason not to trust the party that gave us record unemployment, sky high mortgage rates in the 80's the poll tax and sold off the family silver amongst other things.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/election/article-1269677/Tories-secret-plot-raise-VAT-19- 5-emergency-June-Budget.html

My comp in Fareham was fine and my 6th Form in Winchester was fab.

Hasn't it ALWAYS been that those who are academically brilliant will be "just fine"?

The majority of people are NOT academically gifted - why the heck are we pretending they are? "Education for all" blah blah - when are we going to admit that if it takes 35 years to get someone to be able to differentiate between "Tory's" and "Tories" then maybe, just maybe they're not cut out for a blood degree?

Oxbridge has always taken candicates from all socio-economic backgrounds - it used to be of course course that they received bursaries and grants. Labour have now taken education back 400 years and very soon only the wealthy will be able to attend University.

I wouldn't have gone if it had cost my parents 60k - and my kids definitely won't be going!

Indirect taxes such as VAT favour the well off so IF the TOries do this then it would be consistent with them running the country for the benefit of the better off 30pc.

I guess you could say the same thing for the Inheritance tax plans.

I would benefit from both of these things but I don't find that attractive.

The poor pay tend to pay more consumables and services as it stands.

Nice guys like DC will charm you for your vote but ultimately we have to look at what the conscience of the party is. The Tories still seem like they are mainly concerned with well off.

Riven - DO you know who has the least worst policies for disabled people?

My theory is that middle and upper income people will have to make much smaller adjustments for new Govt but the impact on the "the vulnerable" (pardon the patronising phrase) is large. I try to factor this into my voting conscience. The Tories have to show us that they aren't full of John Redwood types who are evangelical about cutting taxes for the rich/well off.

I would rather NI was stopped and put into income tax

then tax would raise as everyone would pay incoem tax, thoses selling second properties, inheritance tax would have to pay it

there for raising one tax and getting ride of another so lower payed don't get punished

skihorse wrote Oxbridge has always taken candicates from all socio-economic backgrounds

Well the odd token, yes. More recently they have made an effort but in my time it was the odd token!

TDiddy - it's always (imo) been about academic ability. My uncle went to Kings in the 60s - his school made him sit the Cambridge entrance exam at 16 to shut him up (they felt he was smug and show-offy) - Cambridge took him on the spot of course. He went to an average school in Cardiff - not Eton!

not really, as a well prepared child from St Pauls will tend to beat the underdeveloped potential of many state school pupils. We aren't yet a meritocracy. A few friends involved in admissions would admit this is still the case although much much better.

I hadn't realised that "poor people" were now barred from libraries.

skihorse - i think that you are missing the point. I have a son about to go to a private secondary. He had no problems getting into grammars but yet he wants to go to private hot-house. And that is because HE knows that he will be better prepared and have better life chances there. Poorer people are not barred from libraries but you are kidding yourself if you think that it is a pure meritocracy. Far from.

Agree with LeninGrad, in boom years the gap berween rich and poor widen. In bull years you need a Govt to invest in Health, education, etc. I think we have just had that in the last 12 years or so.

i thought all sides had said they had 'no plans' WRT VAT. LAbour may have made a budget, but a budget is only as good as the forecast it is based on...

personally i think buggering around with VAT causes much addidional administration expense. Best leave it as it is.