The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[peteblue]

Yes, it's the rate that you pulled out of thin air. Are you seriously suggesting that sound public policy governs tax rates and not politics?

Where's the study that says 43% is the magic number? Cuz I got plenty of others that state otherwise.

You're too late mate he's gone to bed.....bleeding Tory overlorder.........

 

[Toffeelover]

Left wing is a broad term. Germany is more left wing than the uk and has higher per capita gdp.

Germany is not more left wing Mate, at present they have a coalition of basically LIbs and Cons, (CDU/CSU) the eqivalent of Labour, the SPD has nowhere near enough seats and has been out of power for a very long time.

 

[Toffeelover]

I've not said anything about millionaire bankers. You've just lumped that in to make it seem like its empty rhetoric. I don't see why a 10% increase on tax of those one percent through means various wouldn't work. It's not like we've reached a plateau in terms of what can be raised. And raising more money would mean low wage employees would stop going to food banks like its a normal thing because they were being paid properly.

Mate a 10% increase would lift the rate to 55%, the real point is what threshold would you set for that tax rate to come in at? BTW I am not clear on if the country had this tax rate how would that mean lower paid would be paid properly and not need to go to food banks? Do you have any idea what people go to food banks? What do you call lower paid and what do you regard as properly paid?

 

[Toffeelover]

But dont these people already have half of their income taken as tax? And isnt it a fact that something like 30% of all income tax is raised from the top 1% of earners?

It is more about spending the money well, not raising more, because there is a natural limit to what you can raise. #francehighertax

And governments have a pretty poor record of spending our money well. But the idea that taxing "the millionaire bankers" will actually improve things is an absolute nonsense. But it does play well to some peoples gallery. Who lap it up.

Some common sense, well done Roydo.

 

[Billy Dean]

Germany is not more left wing Mate, at present they have a coalition of basically LIbs and Cons, (CDU/CSU) the eqivalent of Labour, the SPD has nowhere near enough seats and has been out of power for a very long time.

True but still their society is more left wing IMO. They spend more on social services and health etc

 

[Toffeelover]

No one earning under £30K is being rewarded properly. So do we all agree that all Footballers should have a salary cap of say £50K per Year imposed. If not then don't go on about anyone else........

Just a wee point to help out,

2009/2010

Pay £30,OOO
Code allowance £6475
Taxable pay £23525
Tax @ 20% £4705
Net pay £25295

2015/2016

Pay £30,OOO
Code allowance £10,600
Taxable pay £19400
Tax @ 20% £3880
Net pay £26120

So for each working person paying tax, they are £826 better off than under Labour's last budget and thousands taken out of tax altogether. A commitment of Cons and LIb Dems was to raise this to £12600 by end of the parliament thus saving a further £ 400 less tax. Labouur have made no commitment on allowances. So not clear Pete why you say if paid under £30,000 not rewarded properly?

 

[Walken]

Well they work.

Bit of a cheap shot that to be honest

 

[Toffeelover]

I'm voting Labour next month btw.

Why? What is that attracts you to vote Labour?

 

[Groucho]

I'm voting Labour next month btw.

I am, due to them being (I think) the best of an atrocious bunch.

I have little faith in any of them.

 

[Toffeelover]

True but still their society is more left wing IMO. They spend more on social services and health etc

They do but in other areas they spend far less, it is all about balance. For example we spend more (even with cuts) on defence. Germany has no nuclear weapons or submarines but there again we did not send troops out to train holding broom sticks but gave our chaps real guns! We also give more in foreign aid. Their public sector is smaller than ours. So it is very difficult to compare just using individual spending areas.

 

[Toffeelover]

I am, due to them being (I think) the best of an atrocious bunch.

I have little faith in any of them.

I will ask you the same question Groucho ignoring their looks what is the reasons for voting Labour?

I am also waiting for some one to say they will vote for the others to ask them a similar question.

 

[Billy Dean]

They do but in other areas they spend far less, it is all about balance. For example we spend more (even with cuts) on defence. Germany has no nuclear weapons or submarines but there again we did not send troops out to train holding broom sticks but gave our chaps real guns! We also give more in foreign aid. Their public sector is smaller than ours. So it is very difficult to compare just using individual spending areas.

True it's a broad issue. And to be honest I was basing it more on just an impression based on living here and the fact they pay more income tax, get more in public services, more unionized etc than detailed stats. The term left wing is too broad to have any kind of meaningful argument I guess. Surprised their public sector is smaller than ours tbh. They also tax businesses less on their profits than we do, which surprises me.

 

[Groucho]

I will ask you the same question Groucho ignoring their looks what is the reasons for voting Labour?

I am also waiting for some one to say they will vote for the others to ask them a similar question.

You've seen Miliband's grid, yeah?

I feel the current Conservative government (lib dems are a non/entity) is too biased against the non-loaded. I have also seen first hand what is happening to the NHS under Tories (I accept Labour are not perfect on this, but it has better prospects under them).

I also think that some plans for cuts are necessary, however this government is cutting too much, far too quickly. Labour will make cuts, as is inevitable under any party, however the pace is (presented as) more gentle and over a longer period.

This government has hit Liverpool council (and Knowsley) with savage funding cuts, the most severe in the land - this cannot be allowed to stunt the revival of Liverpool and Merseyside, which is what would happen if this government stays.

There are many more things which I'll not bore folk with, but the 'bedroom tax' is a defining policy which showed just how out of touch this government is with the majority of people.

 

[bring the ghost on]

Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe the Tories want everyone to improve their lives but that to do so the country needs to grow and prosper....

Have you ever thought maybe, just maybe, the Tories are looking after the interest of the higher echelons of society and are totally uninterested in whether the poor 'improve their lives'?

Why does the UK generate 3X the GDP per capita of left wing countries like Russia,.....why is it that all left wing/socialist countries invariably go into major debt and ruin the lives of their populations.......

Pete, what the hell is a 'left wing' country? Most countries have swings in political consensus, just as we do in this country.

All I'm doing is arguing that left of centre is more humane than right of centre, and you're piping up assuming I'm an advocate of communism or something. Moderate left wing policy isn't going to 'ruin the lives of the population', that's just scare mongering.

If everyone is on benefits, like Venezuela ( the country with the largest oil reserves on the planet), you go bankrupt.

Feel free to browse my post history and find me a post in which I've argued that we should have a British Hugo Chavez or having benefits for everyone, and I'll start taking your arguments a little more seriously. Stop putting words in my mouth.

Which bit of simple economics do you not understand...........

The bit propagated by you when you argue that you can only have a healthy economy if you promote inequality, because it's nonsense.

 

[Toffeelover]

True it's a broad issue. And to be honest I was basing it more on just an impression based on living here and the fact they pay more income tax, get more in public services, more unionized etc than detailed stats. The term left wing is too broad to have any kind of meaningful argument I guess. Surprised their public sector is smaller than ours tbh. They also tax businesses less on their profits than we do, which surprises me.

German IT rates, 2014

Tax % Tax Base (EUR) (euros)
0 Up to 8,354
14% 8,355-52,881
42% 52,882-250,730
45% 250,731 and over

Plus a solidarity rate of 5.5% but remember we have NIC.

Corporation tax is 15%

Vat rate is 19% but on food, public transport Hotels and other bits it is 7%

On the face of it compared to our rates it seems a bigger reward for workers and businesses.