Opinions from a loyal Labour Party member
Posts tagged tax
Everyone’s tax return should be published
43 days
The current furore about the candidates for London mayor publishing their tax returns has already led to calls for all senior politicians to do the same.
In my opinion this doesn’t go far enough and in a modern democracy we should be even more open and transparent. In Norway everyone’s tax return is published on the internet, which is a fairly recent development but the actual publishing of tax records has been going on since 1863.
If it’s good enough for the Norwegians it’s good enough for us and we should have the same rights.
The government has already taken a step in the right direction by announcing that it will let everyone have a copy of their HMRC ‘tax bill’ so we can see where our money has been spent. If we aren’t going to make full tax returns public then we can at least make that public. That way we can all see if everyone appears to be paying their fair share.
That way people would be free to use legitimate tax avoidance measures, which unlike tax evasion are totally legal, but they’d have to consider if they can justify it in the court of public opinion.
I like the idea of being able to see where my tax money is spent as it reassures me that it’s being used for public good and helps me feel more like I’m fulfilling my responsibilities to society and the country. If we published tax returns and statements then people would have to decide if their conscious can allow them to fleece their fellow countrymen and women, letting down the country.
Tory NIC cuts – the truth for small businesses
772 days
Small businesses employ almost 60% of the private sector workforce and without a doubt the Tories are right that Labour’s proposed increasing in NIC will hurt. I run a small business and they will hurt us. If you asked me if I wanted them to go ahead I’d say no I don’t as it’s going to cost us money that we don’t have. For us it’s not about preserving profit margins as we plough it all back into the business to grow and create more jobs. The NIC increase will make this harder.
But, and it’s a huge but, the Tory alternative is far, far worse. For Wolfstar to grow and prosper we need an improving and stable economy. We’re a business that sells services to other businesses. Our clients can only spend more money with us, if consumers spend more money with them. The Tory plans to hack and slash essential public services hurts consumers. That hurts our clients. That hurts us. That hurts the people that work for us.
That’s why Labour’s plans for NIC might not be good, but they are a lot better than the Tory alternative.
The Tax Payers Alliance doesn’t represent me
866 days
I don’t understand why the media given any credence whatsoever to the so called Tax Payers Alliance. The idea that it anyway represents ordinary tax payers like you and me is ridiculous. It represents a narrow sectarian interest of rich people who don’t have a patriotic bone in their bodies.
The vast majority of people in this country understand that you pay tax in order to fund essential public services such as the NHS, education and the defence of the nation. Every tax payer is a recipient of services that are paid for by tax. Britain is a democracy and we vote to elect a government that represents our interests. We don’t need an unelected, shadily funded, unaccountable pressure group pretending to defend our interests.
A real Tax Payers Alliance would represent ordinary tax payers who also benefit from the essential services the state provides. A real Tax Payers Alliance wouldn’t necessarily stand for “lower taxes” it would stand for fairer taxes.
John Prescott’s Go Fourth campaign deserves praise for exposing the TPA as a partisan pressure group rather than a legitimate think tank or support group. He did well with the Charity Commission investigation and the response from the BBC that acknowledges:
"I do accept that the TPA’s publications and policies come from a distinctive political position and think we should try to avoid our output giving the impression that it is an impartial body.
Just who are the real tax hypocrites?
Despite, or maybe because, of being a loyal Labour Party member I’m no fan of Ken Livingstone, but I’m going to be deeply unfashionable and actually defend him (but not a lot) in the current furore about his tax affairs.
Those criticising him need to be more careful about what they are criticising him for. It absolutely should not be for running his business through a limited company. The simple fact is that for most people that would be the right thing to do. You’d have to be a financially and legally illiterate idiot not to use company law as it is intended to be used.
I’d have far greater doubts about someone in Ken’s position who didn’t do what he’s done. In fact I’d seriously question their financial and business acumen. If they can’t run their own affairs sensibly then how can we trust them to run the city or country?
One of the main benefits of a limited company isn’t actually that you can save tax (as that’s not always the case anyway), but that it protects the entrepreneur with limited liability. Everyone who is self-employed or running a business is taking a risk – often a big risk – and one of the main benefits of a limited liability company is that it helps reduce that risk. That means the entrepreneur is more likely to employ people and do other things that help the economy to grow.
What Ken can and should be criticised for is some of his stupid statements in relation to his business affairs. But, on the other hand it’s Ken and he’s famous for his stupid statements.
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