The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Toffeelover]

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.

Fair enough Mate

 

[chewee]

Some areas of Liverpool have close to 70% of workers on either a zero hour contract or earning less than living wage. Unemployment may have dropped but that only tells you half the story, majority of new jobs up here are low paid (A 'boom' in retail based work being a key reason for this). When someone works and still has to claim benefits because the rate of pay is so low then surely that can't be right? How can anyone aspire to own their own home when the local economy is built on sand?

There is a official parliament app called 'My Constituency', well worth taking a look at. It shows the employment, poverty rates, avg wage etc for your area based on national statistics. Truely staggering the difference between my constituency and that of David Cameron's, makes the council budget cuts look even more farcical.

 

[Toffeelover]

Some areas of Liverpool have close to 70% of workers on either a zero hour contract or earning less than living wage. Unemployment may have dropped but that only tells you half the story, majority of new jobs up here are low paid (A 'boom' in retail based work being a key reason for this). When someone works and still has to claim benefits because the rate of pay is so low then surely that can't be right? How can anyone aspire to own their own home when the local economy is built on sand?

There is a official parliament app called 'My Constituency', well worth taking a look at. It shows the employment, poverty rates, avg wage etc for your area based on national statistics. Truely staggering the difference between my constituency and that of David Cameron's, makes the council budget cuts look even more farcical.

True Chewee but I bet one would have the same result in 90% of comparisons between north and south. Must have a look at that App though.

 

[Billy Dean]

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.

14% up to 52k? Where do you get that from? Can't be right.

 

[Toffeelover]

14% up to 52k? Where do you get that from? Can't be right.

Got it from a web search and a German site. Don't forget it is in Euros. I googled Income Tax rates in Germany

 

[Brennan]

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.

7% on food has a massive impact compared to the zero here.

 

[Billy Dean]

Got it from a web search and a German site. Don't forget it is in Euros. I googled Income Tax rates in Germany

I think it starts at 14 from the lower salary and gradually increases towards 40 odd % the more you earn.

 

[peteblue]

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'?

Yeah, that sounds like a good way to win elections. Only look after the highest 1% and expect another 40% to support you doing it........it's as ridiculous an assertion as someone saying that Labour are only looking after the lowest 1% and have no interest in anybody that works......it's the usual spin but it's crap....

If money is not generated it can't be spent.....the Tories want to generate money, let people keep more of what they earn and spend what we can afford, just the same as most households in the UK want..... Labour, like the SNP, have no intention of balancing the books, they will just borrow and tax and spend.......

 

[peteblue]

Some areas of Liverpool have close to 70% of workers on either a zero hour contract or earning less than living wage. Unemployment may have dropped but that only tells you half the story, majority of new jobs up here are low paid (A 'boom' in retail based work being a key reason for this). When someone works and still has to claim benefits because the rate of pay is so low then surely that can't be right? How can anyone aspire to own their own home when the local economy is built on sand?

There is a official parliament app called 'My Constituency', well worth taking a look at. It shows the employment, poverty rates, avg wage etc for your area based on national statistics. Truely staggering the difference between my constituency and that of David Cameron's, makes the council budget cuts look even more farcical.

Liverpool used to have some major industries paying very high salaries. Some disappeared because they were no longer competitive in the world and some were damaged badly by Politicians (Thatcher & Brown).....but it's time to stop moaning..... Liverpool was once one of the great Cities, it still is, but it's had some absolutely shocking people running it and it's why Manchester is growing while Liverpool just gets worse........

 

[peteblue]

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.

You can see why companies like being there......

 

[Seanjd]

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?

@Toffeelover @peteblue
I'm absolutely delighted that people earning £30,000 are £826 better off than under labour. What an achievement. Now here's the reality.

In 2009/10, 40,898 people were provided with at least 3 days emergency food provided by a food bank charity. A shocking amount.

In 2013/14, 913,138 people were provided with at least 3 days emergency food provided by a food bank charity. 330,205 of these were children.

The huge increase in food bank users directly coincides with the new benefit rules and the powers to sanction and reduce benefits. In fact, while 20% of food bank users were forced there due to low income, over 30% were there due to benefit delays and sanctions.

This is why you cannot vote for a Conservative government in May. We ought to be absolutely ashamed of ourselves as a nation for allowing this to happen, but as long as the Tories preach their economy building mantra, it will never be accounted for. By voting Conservative, you are allowing this to happen.

 

[The Mighty Quint]

Just seen an interview on SKY with Osbourne, 100% they will put VAT up.

"Will you rule out a rise in VAT", "Well look, it is not in our plans...blah blah"
"But will you rule out a rise in VAT?", "It's not in our plans to raise VAT".

Lying through his teeth he was, refused to rule it out, just kept saying it's not in our plans, within 6 months they will raise it if they get in again, costing families in this country around £1400.

 

[bring the ghost on]

Yeah, that sounds like a good way to win elections. Only look after the highest 1% and expect another 40% to support you doing it...

Do you really think the Tories are stupid enough to come out and admit 'we primarily look after the rich' and expect people to vote for them?

No, they give rhetoric on how savage cuts are just a necessary part of cutting the deficit and spout complete falsehoods like 'we're all in it together' despite the fact that every decent study shows the poor getting poorer and the rich getting richer.

I don't mind if you want to support the Tory philosophy, but don't come on here pretending they care about the poor, because their policies blatantly show the opposite.

If money is not generated it can't be spent.....the Tories want to generate money, let people keep more of what they earn and spend what we can afford, just the same as most households in the UK want..... Labour, like the SNP, have no intention of balancing the books, they will just borrow and tax and spend.......

The last labour governments had lower public spending as a portion of GDP than the Major and Thatcher govts before it and the Coalition govt which followed it. Amidst a global economic crash, they were of course slated, as any govt in power would have been, but they are the facts.

But Pete, if you want to lap up Osbournes 'labour don't save money for a rainy day' propoganda and cite radical socialist governments in South America as reasons as to why left of centre economic policy worries you so much, then don't let me stop you supporting a party who once wished to put Liverpool into 'managed decline'.

 

[1966efc]

Liberal capitalism seems to be the best way for a country to earn the mullah. Social democracy appears to be the best way of distributing the tax grab. So here's the question: is it more or less like that the Tories will learn to stop lining the pockets of the reasonably well off at the expense of the poor; or that Labour will learn not to over regulate and over tax?

Once you can answer that to your own satisfaction, then you have the answer as to how to vote assuming that you give a monkeys about the poor in the first place - and most people do.

 

[Seanjd]

Just seen an interview on SKY with Osbourne, 100% they will put VAT up.

"Will you rule out a rise in VAT", "Well look, it is not in our plans...blah blah"
"But will you rule out a rise in VAT?", "It's not in our plans to raise VAT".

Lying through his teeth he was, refused to rule it out, just kept saying it's not in our plans, within 6 months they will raise it if they get in again, costing families in this country around £1400.

The disproportionate tax which hits the poorer hardest? Of course they will raise it.