Labour MPs are up in arms about the abolition of the 10p rate of income tax, which Gordon Brown introduced as Chancellor, but has how seen fit to get rid of. Astonishingly, according to The Sun, he is invoking the name of Margaret Thatcher in his quest to persuade Labour MPs that cutting the main rate from 22p to 20p was something which Thatcher always wanted to achieve but never did. Brown says that the only way he could do it was abolish the 10p rate. It's a very strange way to persuade Labour MPs that he's right. I guess he'll be invoking the name of George W Bush soon to persuade Labour MPs that he's right on Iraq.
Graphic hattip to The Spine
14 comments:
Is that a piccie of Dame Jill Knight?!
Is that a picture of gordon brown in 20 years time??
I`d never seen him in his casual cloths before.
I always thougt that Brown had little empathy with people but he's on to a loser if this is the argument by which he's trying to stamp out the Tax Rebellion in his party.
First he abolishes the 10p Tax Band which will hit the poorest in our Society(not to mention a lot of his parties "natural supporters") and then he uses the name of Margaret Thatcher as the reason that he did so because she always wanted to lower the basic rate of tax to 20p but never achieved it.
Thatcher's name is still anathema in the Labour heartlands of the N. East;N. West and Scotland and nothing is guaranteed more to get the party activists on the barricades against Brown's Tax Hike
I wonder how many of those Labour Backbenchers who were waving their order papers when Brown announced his "tax cut" in the 2007 Budget are inclined to do so now ?
As one of those affected by this policy, I am not at all happy. A retired woman on a low fixed income, I have calculated that I will be paying an additional £216 a year until I reach aged 65 when I will receive additional tax allowances. This policy is discrimatory to part time staff, retired women and single people. It is also very unfair on those individuals who manage on a limited income without additional state aid in the form of tax credits. Who would have thought that a Labour Government would have removed this tax band and penalised those on low incomes.
The sad thing is that an EDM on the withdrawal of the 10% ban has apparently been withdrawn after the instigator "saw the light". I hope he and those MPs who have not had the courage of their convictions to deal with this issue, lose their seats at the next election. I have been writing to everyone since the announcement in April 2007. Unlike some of our elected representatives, I was aware that this policy would be detrimental to those on low incomes. It is rather late in the day to start reacting to an announcement made in last years budget. I personally am getting tired of budgets which seek to raise more revenue being delayed to a future date. It has nothing to do with the economic cycle and is pure political manoevring to stop dissent.
Thi issue will have upset millions of low paid workers and retired women. The government will be penalised at the polls as they have been unjust to those on low incomes who are generally their "natural" supporters Serves them right and yes I am a Labour Party Supporter - always have been and will not be voting in the forseeable future - a new experience for me. A very unhappy taxpayer.
It was wrong to post this photo. How Gordon unwinds during his spare moments is not our business.
Anon 12.26 - I know just how you feel and you are not alone. I act for a number of ladies over 65 in circumstances similar to yours. First the loss of the tax credits on dividends hit them and then the removal of the 10% rate. Plus there has been banding creep. Their income has gone own under Brown. His policy is designed to make claimants out of all of you.
Who'd have thought it... blending Gordo and Maggie produces Ted Heath....
It looks a bit like Margaret Beckett.
It's good to remind our deluded PM that he is no Margaret Thatcher. Just like an earlier political pygmy, Dan Quayle, tried to compare his experience to govern with Jack Kennedy in the 1988 VP debate. Producing
one of the greatest political put downs by Lloyd Bentsen.
I've had her! She was number 26
so weak
It's Elsie Tanner... :)
Heard Jane Kennedy on Today on Friday morning. Never heard of her before, gather she's some sort of Treasury Minister. It is certainly in the Conservatives' interests for her to explain Labour tax policy at every possible opportunity. What a patronising arrogant woman! She even irritated James Naughtie, he of "we in the Labour Party" fame.
He asked her how making poor people pay more tax was going to convince those people they were really better off - and surprise, surprise, she had no answer. Didn't stop her talking, of course. Speaking v e r y slowly, she banged on about tax credits and how "overall" they would be better off. Jim read out an email from a lady of 62 with a total income of £8000 per year who would now have to pay several hundred pounds more tax, had no children - so no tax credits, and asked how she would now be better off. Ms Kennedy just repeated the rubbish she had already said - unfortunately, Naughtie let her off the hook (doesn't he always).
Seems to me Gordon Brown is not the only one who's out of touch.
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