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The 50p tax band is a red herring - if Labour really wanted to do something to make the tax system fairer - they could start with plugging all those convenient tax loopholes that the rich employ fancy accountants to find for them.
But just look at this comment and /or opinion attributed to Blair ...
"One of Mr Blair's closest allies said: "The 50p tax move is a disaster. Blair would have cut taxes, not increased them." "
Would he? This is the man who allowed himself to be usurped by his Chancellor, the same man to whom he gave carte blanche to ruin our economy and meddle in all aspects of domestic policy. This is the same man who launched over 100 stealth taxes and ruined our pensions - all under Blairs nose.
This is self serving rubbish by Blair - 'Look I am this straight guy who ran a good economy when PM and now this man Brown has ruined it all'
I believe its called rewriting history.
Under Blair we built up the massive deficits with which we entered this recession. If he had had perception he would have sacked Brown years ago.
The fingerprints of Peter Mandelson all over this are pretty clear. Who thinks Lord Mandy will be co-opting Ed Miliband and Harriet Harman to duke it out in a proper 'contested election' for the Labour leadership?
The hilarious bit in the article is where it says 'Blair would have cut taxes'.
Yeah, right.. With a National Debt heading north of a trillion quid, he wouldn't have much opportunity to do that, unless he was also willing to take on truly Thatcherite levels of cutting.
One thing is for sure - whereas in the past she wouldn't have been mourned that much by large sections of the population, when the old girl falls off her perch there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth in the street as people realise 'we shall not see her like again'..
Well, who else can you see standing up to the vested interests and getting some real efficiency into the public sector?
I wonder when a peer of the realm last served as Prime Minister. 1902?
It would be the crowning humiliation for the dying 'party of the workers' that the next one - and probably their last - was an unelected Labour Lord. Delicious.
I'm afraid that it's becoming increasingly obvious that Labour really have to parachute Jack Straw into Number 10 if they want to contain the damage: he alone has both the intelligence to do it and the years that he won't have to worry about his own future. The worst of it is that Alastair Darling is neither a nasty nor an incompetent man: he is merely doing his best to sort out his erstwhile friend, Gordon Brown's, disaster -- and as such, it's difficult to dislike him.
I just wonder - if Labour MPs summon up enough courage to get rid of Brown - whether Blair might be asked to return as Premier until the election. I wouldn't put it past him .... he'd love to grind Brown's nose into the dirt after Brown conspired to force his early resignation.
"The hostile public reaction to the Budget, which signalled a return to the politics of class warfare..."
But there is no real link there. The public are angry at out of control spending and the debt to continue it. And have services improved with all this spending? No.
Do we really think Blair is paying tax on very much of that new-found income?
I wouldn't be surprised if he's got some very good tax avoidance lawyers on it as we speak. No doubt JP Morgan have put him in touch with some very helpful Swiss gentlemen.
"...if Labour really wanted to do something to make the tax system fairer - they could start with plugging all those convenient tax loopholes that the rich employ fancy accountants to find for them."
They are hardly likely to do that. If they do, they won't then be able to make use of them themselves.
BUT the Tories have wobbled! Osborne said he would not commit the Tories to aborting this tax rise! BUT would want to get our debt sorted! Then Cameron says he will abort it!
RIGHT HAND AND LEFT HAND!
I do believe there are so many things the Tories can say they will abolish immediately they are elected, which will save money.
The ID Scheme. The NHS Computer System!. The many Quango's between Health Trusts and The Department of Health!
Let Trusts report direct to the Ministers!
Regional Assemblies. and all the quango's attached to them.
Education quango's/ Law and Police quango's.
Social Services and the NHS should be merged and controlled locally creating a seamless service!
The Tories could place an advertisement in all the newspapers saying THIS IS WHAT WE WILL DO ON DAYS 1 - 5 OF A TORY ADMIONISTRATION.
They should also assure the British people that we shall return to Cabinet Government. That all announcements will be made to Parliament and there will be NO spin, No leaks and No UTube video's!
They must promise that they will restore confidence and pride in our political system.
What they cannot do now is dither. Cameron must show real leadership. The future is his to hold now.
Yes, you are absolutely right to point out that there is an great many things Cameron could do to save fortunes, while also making this country a much better place to live and prosper in, at the same time.
There is also many things Cameron could do, which would greatly improve our common situation, that could cost very little, and have a vast majority of popular support.
The questions are these.
Does Cameron intend to do any of them, some of them, or none of them?
Also
If he does, which ones will the establishment allow him to at least have a go at?
Only time will tell, and there is only one way to find out. This of course requires voting for a man, who really does have absolutely no real intention in telling even his best mate, what he actually intends to do before he gets elected.
IMO this is the reason why.
Cameron has not been told exactly what his job is going to be, quite yet.
Events drive matters in these and any other days, so perhaps it is best for us that Cameron says as little as possible?
For history has repeatedly shown us that when a politician says No s/he actually means Yes. When they claim to be moving left, they always intended to go right, and visa-versa.
When they have successfully conned the public into believing they want peace, a nasty, murderous, destructive and therefore highly profitable for some people type of war swiftly follows. When they say war, it usually means peace is about take place.
When they claim prudence, they are in reality doing an Emelia Marcos with the public credit card, like tomorrow will never come.
The 50p tax rise offers the chance to settle the left-v-right debate once and for all. Leave it in place and see if it raises £8 billion. If it does then the case for taxing the better off is made. If not the case for high taxation is finished and the Labour party with it.
1. Ideological ? 2. Tactical - for his Messianic return ? 3. Personal as, after one speech per annum he can see up to 61% of his income going "south" ? Let's face it - it would be a hypocrite rather than a "straight kind of guy" if he went "Tax Avoider" ! Mmmm - Freedom of information question re any tax deals with HMRC, anyone ?
24 comments:
Of course. Blair is raking millions from book deals, speeches, not to mention his gig with investment bank JP Morgan. It's personal.
Oh, dear, the rats are deserting. The funniest thing about the story is this phrase extrapolated from the headline:
Gordon Brown is a "terrible mistake"
Yup, I'll go with that!
LOL.
Tony Blair takes a 'principled' stand?
Is it because HE stands to lose money from it?
The 50p tax band is a red herring - if Labour really wanted to do something to make the tax system fairer - they could start with plugging all those convenient tax loopholes that the rich employ fancy accountants to find for them.
Since he is part of this catastrophe he has a nerve. Still Labour may well be finished so it's not all doom and gloom.
yes yes yes yes.
But just look at this comment and /or opinion attributed to Blair ...
"One of Mr Blair's closest allies said: "The 50p tax move is a disaster. Blair would have cut taxes, not increased them." "
Would he? This is the man who allowed himself to be usurped by his Chancellor, the same man to whom he gave carte blanche to ruin our economy and meddle in all aspects of domestic policy. This is the same man who launched over 100 stealth taxes and ruined our pensions - all under Blairs nose.
This is self serving rubbish by Blair - 'Look I am this straight guy who ran a good economy when PM and now this man Brown has ruined it all'
I believe its called rewriting history.
Under Blair we built up the massive deficits with which we entered this recession. If he had had perception he would have sacked Brown years ago.
The fingerprints of Peter Mandelson all over this are pretty clear. Who thinks Lord Mandy will be co-opting Ed Miliband and Harriet Harman to duke it out in a proper 'contested election' for the Labour leadership?
The hilarious bit in the article is where it says 'Blair would have cut taxes'.
Yeah, right.. With a National Debt heading north of a trillion quid, he wouldn't have much opportunity to do that, unless he was also willing to take on truly Thatcherite levels of cutting.
One thing is for sure - whereas in the past she wouldn't have been mourned that much by large sections of the population, when the old girl falls off her perch there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth in the street as people realise 'we shall not see her like again'..
Well, who else can you see standing up to the vested interests and getting some real efficiency into the public sector?
I feel sorry for the printer that's about to get destroyed when Brown hears about this.
Proof that things are really bad when toenails Pierce bitches about the Dear Leader.
People may laugh but Blair is still the 'leader' to half the Labour party. I, too, see Mandelson's and Campbell's fingerprints all over this.
I think it could be the turning point of this Government. The whole shebang is imploding in rancour and discord.
We may see an election much sooner than you think. Brown is losing control and timing is no longer in his hands.
I wonder when a peer of the realm last served as Prime Minister. 1902?
It would be the crowning humiliation for the dying 'party of the workers' that the next one - and probably their last - was an unelected Labour Lord. Delicious.
PM: the initials of doom.
I'm afraid that it's becoming increasingly obvious that Labour really have to parachute Jack Straw into Number 10 if they want to contain the damage: he alone has both the intelligence to do it and the years that he won't have to worry about his own future. The worst of it is that Alastair Darling is neither a nasty nor an incompetent man: he is merely doing his best to sort out his erstwhile friend, Gordon Brown's, disaster -- and as such, it's difficult to dislike him.
trevorsden said what I was going to say.
I could be wrong but I think the anon @ 11:14 is The Rt Hon. David Cameron MP (Conservative, Witney)
I just wonder - if Labour MPs summon up enough courage to get rid of Brown - whether Blair might be asked to return as Premier until the election. I wouldn't put it past him .... he'd love to grind Brown's nose into the dirt after Brown conspired to force his early resignation.
"The hostile public reaction to the Budget, which signalled a return to the politics of class warfare..."
But there is no real link there. The public are angry at out of control spending and the debt to continue it. And have services improved with all this spending? No.
Blair has always been a hypocrite.
This lot are indeed re-writing history. They are making Thatcher look like an angel sent from God.
denverthen, that's exactly what I was thinking!
Either Blair (to be newly enobled) or Mandelson, already there...
Maybe Brown has trouble with a minister over 50P as well!
http://delivernothinglabourparty.blogspot.com/2009/04/brown-in-trouble-with-defector.html
Do we really think Blair is paying tax on very much of that new-found income?
I wouldn't be surprised if he's got some very good tax avoidance lawyers on it as we speak. No doubt JP Morgan have put him in touch with some very helpful Swiss gentlemen.
"...if Labour really wanted to do something to make the tax system fairer - they could start with plugging all those convenient tax loopholes that the rich employ fancy accountants to find for them."
They are hardly likely to do that. If they do, they won't then be able to make use of them themselves.
Turkeys don't vote for Christmas...
BUT the Tories have wobbled! Osborne said he would not commit the Tories to aborting this tax rise! BUT would want to get our debt sorted! Then Cameron says he will abort it!
RIGHT HAND AND LEFT HAND!
I do believe there are so many things the Tories can say they will abolish immediately they are elected, which will save money.
The ID Scheme. The NHS Computer System!. The many Quango's between Health Trusts and The Department of Health!
Let Trusts report direct to the Ministers!
Regional Assemblies. and all the quango's attached to them.
Education quango's/ Law and Police quango's.
Social Services and the NHS should be merged and controlled locally creating a seamless service!
The Tories could place an advertisement in all the newspapers saying THIS IS WHAT WE WILL DO ON DAYS 1 - 5 OF A TORY ADMIONISTRATION.
They should also assure the British people that we shall return to Cabinet Government. That all announcements will be made to Parliament and there will be NO spin, No leaks and No UTube video's!
They must promise that they will restore confidence and pride in our political system.
What they cannot do now is dither. Cameron must show real leadership. The future is his to hold now.
Strapworld
Yes, you are absolutely right to point out that there is an great many things Cameron could do to save fortunes, while also making this country a much better place to live and prosper in, at the same time.
There is also many things Cameron could do, which would greatly improve our common situation, that could cost very little, and have a vast majority of popular support.
The questions are these.
Does Cameron intend to do any of them, some of them, or none of them?
Also
If he does, which ones will the establishment allow him to at least have a go at?
Only time will tell, and there is only one way to find out. This of course requires voting for a man, who really does have absolutely no real intention in telling even his best mate, what he actually intends to do before he gets elected.
IMO this is the reason why.
Cameron has not been told exactly what his job is going to be, quite yet.
Events drive matters in these and any other days, so perhaps it is best for us that Cameron says as little as possible?
For history has repeatedly shown us that when a politician says No s/he actually means Yes. When they claim to be moving left, they always intended to go right, and visa-versa.
When they have successfully conned the public into believing they want peace, a nasty, murderous, destructive and therefore highly profitable for some people type of war swiftly follows. When they say war, it usually means peace is about take place.
When they claim prudence, they are in reality doing an Emelia Marcos with the public credit card, like tomorrow will never come.
Atlas
The 50p tax rise offers the chance to settle the left-v-right debate once and for all.
Leave it in place and see if it raises £8 billion.
If it does then the case for taxing the better off is made.
If not the case for high taxation is finished and the Labour party with it.
1. Ideological ?
2. Tactical - for his Messianic return ?
3. Personal as, after one speech per annum he can see up to 61% of his income going "south" ?
Let's face it - it would be a hypocrite rather than a "straight kind of guy" if he went "Tax Avoider" !
Mmmm - Freedom of information question re any tax deals with HMRC, anyone ?
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