In tonights ‘London Lite’, one of the free papers which litter the tube network, I see a report that the LibDems are to announce a new tax policy which reduces the base income tax rate (which is welcome, although its not being reduced to zero) and ’stinging taxes on the rich’.
This sort of language and policy is not only unhelpful but it is simply wrong. We should be seeking to be liberal and no liberal would ever seek to use that sort of language. We desperately need to reassess our policies and look where we can reduce the tax burden not simply shift it around and penalise the rich for being rich (or having a high income).
Is this rhetoric to try and placate the grumblers of the ‘red bookers’* who complain monthly in the pages of Liberator? That’s the only explanation I can see for this turn away from what was developing into a far more sensible tax policy.
I also notice the local income tax is back. When can we give up flogging that dead horse? At least council tax vaguely taxes wealth, yes pensioners sitting on a pile of wealth are penalised, but with income tax its the productive who are penalised, is that any more fair? (thus the nature of tax as fundamentally unfair is revealed).
(* yes I’ve just made that up but it seems appropriate to describe them as such given their pureile slur upon anyone who dares to be economically liberal as an ‘orange booker’)
