Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
whether 'tis nobler of the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune at the fuel pump... or
Okay so the Chancellor of the Exchequer is not going to add 2p per litre to the petrol price this autumn but will it make much difference. I suppose its better than nothing..but as you can see from the picture above what you pay for petrol at the pump is already loaded with taxes..so much taxes.
This 2p is not of course 2p off the current level, but the Chancellor will not levy a further 2p to the tax level already there. Okay big deal you might think. With petrol prices rising faster than a cape canaveral rocket, this 2p is likely to be gobbled up anyway.
Although not adding this 2p means the cash strapped government lose the chance of an extra £500million for public spending. Where you and me might like less taxes, was this the right thing to do by the Chancellor.
Or was it yet another knee-jerking-vote-grabbing-wool-pulling-fanfare-tooting attempt to placate?
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
There have indeed been cynical suggestions that it was a vote catching idea for the upcoming By-Election but as they used to say on that ground beaking programme......"I couldnt possibly comment"
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
What's the difference between vat and duty ? they both go to the government, which makes it almost 50% the government takes - no wonder we're all in the brown sticky stuff.
With such high level of taxes, it's not surprising food is so expensive now - it costs a fortune to transport it around the country.
Support your local Farmers Markets and local (Dover) shops.
Stamp-duty should be abolished for properties under £300,000 too. I understand it is for established "deprived" areas - oddly, Priory isn't deemed to be deprived in that sense, maybe because it isn't a ward in its own right anymore.
Roger
A good reason to source food locally I would think.......but then i have been saying that for years...!
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
David Cameron was quoted yesterday as saying ''that taxes may have to go UP under a Tory government in order to balance the books''
So no change there then.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Actually Marek he was just keeping options open as there is a serious concern in Tory circles that Brown will embark on a 'scorched earth' strategy leaving the public finances in an even greater mess than ther are now. That could leave him no choice.
He has made clear however, repeatedly, that the Conservative aim over the course of a parliament will be to reduce taxation.
I would personally like to see him go further and make a clear statement that taxes will be reduced as I believe the economy will need that stimulus. I dont believe he will be able to make such a statement (if he can at all and be responsible) until very much nearer the election.
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,302
First off, this is not a political comment, I don't make those.
I would just like to point out that the 2p increase that isn't, is just a sham. VAT is added to the rising price of petrol (including the duty), thus as the price goes up the more the Treasury gets.
To maintain the status quo, if the PM were to be nice, he would reduce the duty percentagewise so that HMG would not "profit" from the fuel crisis, which it is!
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
roger made a couple of very good points, firstly buy locally, it is fresher and environmentally friendly.
plus it keeps out local economy in business.
stamp duty, not sure about the 300,000 figure, but certainly, it is an iniquitous burden on the first time buyer.
this is where it gets complicated.
there are some places in our sceptic isle where it can be about 4 times dearer to get started than at the cheaper end of the market.
that is a good point about priory, however i previoulsy lived in a ward where certain streets got the stapm duty holiday.
i do not know how this came about.
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
Why 300,000?
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Why not ?
It's not too high that it will only affect rich people as many "ordinary" people have an "ordinary" house that may well have now risen to the value of £300,00 and it is low enough to help those ordinary people.
I don't have access to information about how many houses there are across the country and what difference it would make to the Government coffers, so it sems to be a valuation that is not to high or too low.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the valuation of 300 grand would mean too much of a shortfall of money to the exchequer, it would mean raising taxes in another way.
the important thing is to help first time buyers, it would then kick start the house building industry.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Why not simply cut spending instead, Howard. There is massive waste that can be cut.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
that opens another can of worms barry.
everyone has different views on government spending.
i am a great supporter of the tax credits system, it actually brings people into the employment world, and sends a message that work pays.
this is transmitted to the children of the recipients.
a long term strategy.
throwing money at things like health and education is a lot more complicated.
it has to be targeted, if pupils and patients are not seeing the benefit, then there is no point.
i would like to see more spent on prisons.
a case reported in our local press this week, had a solicitor stating that her client(done for the umpteenth time for thieving) had been to prison before a few times and that clearly prison did not work.
i would disagree, her client could not half inch anything in the time he was inside.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
brdern
i must add that i think there are people inside that could be doing some sort of community service instead.
for example lord archer would have been useful the community if he had been told to write a couple of his awful books that sell well, and when he had sold enough that a few million quid was available for good causes, then his punishment is complete.
the bloke from guiness, soeone called saunders, he could have been seconded to the fraud squad, till he helped secure enough convictions
mind you that might have to keep the petty cash under lock and key!!
i have only mentioned highprofile cases here, but there must be stacks of non violent offenders banged up, costing us money, when they could be contributing their skills to the community.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
interesting...wasnt there some sort of proposal earlier today that those claiming benefits should do some sort of community service in order to receive these benefits..I dont know the full story on this and havent had time to check it but heard it briefly on the radio this morning. I think this is a proposal or suggestion from the government.
Wouldnt this tar those claiming fair benefits with a criminal brush in a way...dont think this seems right. But like I said dont yet know the full details.
If anyone knows more on this let us know...
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
PaulB - There was a Conservative policy announcement regarding a form of 'workfare' a while ago. We did have a discussion about it on the Forum.
The latest Goverment paper on welfare reform, true to what we have been used to lately, sees the Government copying (and watering down) these Conservative proposals.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Incidentally, Labour MP Frank Field has said publically that the Government proposals wont see the light of day!!!
Again, something we have become used to from this Government, utterly bankrupt of any ideas or principles of its own.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
apparently a deal has been struck, between the pm and leader of the opposition, the proposals will become law.
