It appears the Labour won't be raising global tax rates if they get into power again, although other tax rises will probably happen somewhere in the system.
The Tories say they will lower taxes while spending as much as Labour by saving on "wastage".
The Lib Dems say they will increase tax for the very high earners, and will replace council tax with a local income tax.
Labour: I'm happy with the increased spending on services, although I think it could be directed better, and I wish that they would be more open about wanting to raise taxes instead of hiding behind measures such as changes in taxes on pensions or not increasing personal allowances along with inflation etc., and also one of my bugbears, the squeeze on local authority funding which forces council taxes higher and effectively shifts the blame away from the national government.
Conservative: I can only see that they can severely cut services to lower taxation, as I don't think sacking most of the Civil Service and hospital managers (much as I think there are too many of these) is a particularly viable thing to save costs in the future. Maybe they would squeeze the local authorities even further and hit us with even nastier council tax?
Lib Dem: Progressive taxation and increased spending are absolutely fine in my book, and the removal of council tax and replacement with something based on ability to pay is a very good idea, and removes the problem of pensioners getting screwed for owning a big house which they probably worked bloody hard to enjoy in their old age. As for the tax income of richer areas versus poorer ones, some sort of national capping and redistribution according to need may be in order.
Comments?
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Date: 2005-04-14 11:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:42 am (UTC)