tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post2635160838627300047..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: The Desperate Liberal DemocratsIain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-57746291309001162942010-04-10T21:58:44.628+01:002010-04-10T21:58:44.628+01:00A poster in the Times blog called the Cable-Clegg...A poster in the Times blog called the Cable-Clegg duo as Steptoe and son!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-58322950666373881792010-04-10T20:47:41.147+01:002010-04-10T20:47:41.147+01:00Since Vince is over pension age and presumably rec...Since Vince is over pension age and presumably receiving the State Pension - can we assume he is rejecting the £2.50 per week increase as insulting!?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12601117305957808573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-13061198401364684312010-04-10T20:19:13.338+01:002010-04-10T20:19:13.338+01:00Some people believe Polly, the socialist who lives...Some people believe Polly, the socialist who lives in Tuscany!<br />Vince Cable the erstwhile Labour candidate has opened his mouth again against the businessmen and NI. In so doing he has clearly revealed his argument which is also Labour's and clearly indicates that there is a hidden Libdem-Lab understanding. It is very revealing indeed. Libdems now cannot claim that they have a separate agenda different from Labour. Voting Libdem will keep the Labour in power. Cable is ready to serve under the leader who he called Mr Bean!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-14884074423963753202010-04-10T18:49:19.054+01:002010-04-10T18:49:19.054+01:00You know, Dan Brusca there are plenty of people to...You know, Dan Brusca there are plenty of people to whom £3.00 a week is helpful. You cannot assume that all married couples who are childless or whose children have left the nest are prosperous. There are plenty who were hit badly by Brown revoking the 10p tax rate. And why shouldn't committment be recognised? Single parents already get loads of advantages in the tax and benefit system. When my family fell on hard times and both my husband and I were out of work I didn't qualify for any of the help that single mothers got and I needed it as badly as they did. In the American tax system you can get deductions for your dependents which is far better than giving handouts in the form of tax credits. And the tax credit system is so chaotic that most people wind up owing HMRC than the other way around.Lady Finchleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03695379463537122656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-85178285102027551182010-04-10T18:41:14.881+01:002010-04-10T18:41:14.881+01:00Dan Brusca said: "If that's true, then wh...Dan Brusca said: "If that's true, then why not target help more directly by <b>increasing child benefit and extending it to expectant mothers, giving further help in paying for childcare and so on?</b> After all, there's no reason at all to give a tax break to childless couples or couples whose children have grown up and left home. As Alex Barker in the FT points out, a third of the beneficiaries of this proposal are pensioners."<br /><br />Perhaps the Government (of whatever colour) could look at ways to make having children cheaper rather than a simple increasing of the subsidising of it. Labour threw money at childcare *AND* upped the cost of it at the same time by requiring registrations and regulations. No net loss for those receiving the tax credits but more money taken from net tax payers to afford it.Garethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11182144080955551878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-6374620984547923252010-04-10T16:31:34.173+01:002010-04-10T16:31:34.173+01:00Did you see the bbc news Nick Robinson following N...Did you see the bbc news Nick Robinson following Nick Clegg, first in a luxurious jet plane, then in a leather couched luxury bus and then in a top of the range Jaguar, perhaps £156 extra a year doesn't mean a lot to himHelyn Clackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10814167594525633055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-54844447562458423032010-04-10T15:50:07.065+01:002010-04-10T15:50:07.065+01:00"The big change will be altering benefits so ..."The big change will be altering benefits so that the huge penalties for living together are removed. But presumably this is too sensitive to be talked about just now."<br /><br />Spot on. Toynbee pointed this out before. It's not too sensitive, it's just something that would cost serious money.Jimmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01542633492362670045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-29917290817976234572010-04-10T15:47:20.319+01:002010-04-10T15:47:20.319+01:00"No one pretends that it is a life changing s..."No one pretends that it is a life changing sum, or is intended to persuade people to get married,"<br /><br />Actually that's exactly what you're pretending.Jimmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01542633492362670045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-2020312766457782812010-04-10T14:00:02.344+01:002010-04-10T14:00:02.344+01:00Cable is a master at telling the media what they w...Cable is a master at telling the media what they want to here. He has been elevated to the stature of a God by the BBC. But if you listen carefully he contradicts himself regularly.<br />To me Clegg and Cable are Buttons and Widow Twankey.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06810788783886456639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-16587742865037690902010-04-10T13:57:58.698+01:002010-04-10T13:57:58.698+01:00I agree to a point, but how will the £150 cut be a...I agree to a point, but how will the £150 cut be administered? If you have to fill out a form and prove salary, will many people be bothered? Or will some HMRC computer just acknowledge who is married to someone not working?<br /><br />And also, it seems a bit of a sexist policy if the incentive applies only to couples where one partner (generally the woman) stays home and keeps house rather than following their own career. If the £150 is largely to do with sending out a message that marriage is good, the flip side seems to be the message that marriage is especially good if one of you doesn't seek a career.<br /><br />Still, you are quite right, Iain, about the Libs ridiculous toadying to Labour and the easy ride that Saint Vince is given.<br /><br />I'm intrigued by the Libs' policy of increasing the personal allowance to £10k, as Stephen mentions, which would benefit married couples by £3,325 more than the Tory policy would. But where does the money come from?Paddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17790241838601339104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-49994369552969344382010-04-10T13:45:48.633+01:002010-04-10T13:45:48.633+01:00There's something wrong when the Conservatives...There's something wrong when the Conservatives want to use the tax system to recognise the importance of civil partnerships, but Chris Grayling thinks it's fine for B&Bs to turn away civil partners.Treaclehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11122500029194856865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-15390433714246139642010-04-10T13:42:36.538+01:002010-04-10T13:42:36.538+01:00The problem is that taxes are far too high and gov...The problem is that taxes are far too high and government spending is out of control.<br />Hundreds of billions of pounds are being wasted to no good effect and its getting worse.<br />The government takes enough in taxes if only it spent those taxes wisely and with a measure of common sense.<br />The government does not have to earn the money they take and at the moment they are throwing this money around like there is no tommorow, the waste is staggering and it has just got to stop, the tax revenues do not belong to the elected government yet they certainly act as if the money they take to provide us with services is just that.<br />It is high time the government were legally obliged to account for and spend every penny wisely, each pound of expenditure should be examined for cost/benefit to the public, government should be legally obliged to live within its means according to a defined tax take agreed with the electorate beforehand.<br />This nation is being literally taxed to death, millions find it easier to live off the state than earn a living and who can blame them when working a low end job means paying crippling taxes.<br />All three parties are living in some kind of bubble, they no longer see the stress and strife they are causing to ordinary people, while billions are squandered on ego tripping foreign aid to India and China our own people live in poverty, can you imagine what people feel like when they find out that tax money is being handed out to nuclear/space industry capable nations?<br />If the political classes fail to grasp the fact that we are coming to a point of rebelion then they deserve everything they get, the political classes seem oblivious to the fact that they are testing the patience of the British people to the limit.cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06088596240127998878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-47418740530759120232010-04-10T13:08:00.614+01:002010-04-10T13:08:00.614+01:00Up until yesterday Clegg seemed genuinely surprise...Up until yesterday Clegg seemed genuinely surprised there was an election on, he didn't seem to have anything prepared.<br /><br />Now he's woken up he can only come out with invective-driven gainsaying. It's amateur hour, every hour on the Lib-Dem campaign.<br /><br />It's not the campaign of a party that has Governmental aspirations, it's merely revelling in its privileged place as the pointless fly-in-the-ointment of British politics. Shame the leadership aren't worthy of the efforts of the party faithful who'll dedicated time and money to their continuing campaign for perpetual irrelevance.Hughes.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15269769422448216129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-64798390336270897242010-04-10T13:02:53.883+01:002010-04-10T13:02:53.883+01:00I can't stand Cable.
As soon as Cameron or Osb...I can't stand Cable.<br />As soon as Cameron or Osborne announce something, Cable appears on TV or radio to rubbish it.<br />I can't remember any ideas of his own apart from the stupid "mansion tax".<br />Does he get paid for every appearance?<br />I nominate him for Smug Old Git of the Year.Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12161658443183028628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-44321681913451003632010-04-10T12:45:18.768+01:002010-04-10T12:45:18.768+01:00The basic state pension is to increase from April ...The basic state pension is to increase from April 2010 by 2.5%, which equates to a rise of £2.40 per week, or 34p per day.<br /><br />Is that worth it Vince? Not even £3!<br />Lets not bother eh?Bill Quango MPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861116614665461655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-41976027923843735492010-04-10T12:38:31.642+01:002010-04-10T12:38:31.642+01:00Believe me, on the ground they're fighting dir...Believe me, on the ground they're fighting dirty; there's no love lost between Labour and Lib Dems when I've been out campaigning.Shamik Dashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10935999254568311462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-44983125591679532010-04-10T12:25:32.444+01:002010-04-10T12:25:32.444+01:00I very much doubt if most Liberal Democrats know a...I very much doubt if most Liberal Democrats know anything about Liberal Democrat policies. It is simply a middle class way of feeling "progressive" while looking down on the chavs (and mountebanks) who vote Labour.<br /><br />By "progressive" they mean anti-Tory - a rejection which does not connect with anything other than their own vanity. No serious person votes Liberal Democrat except as a protest against the Labour Party.wildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14437167510102273197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-63524835994203567382010-04-10T12:19:54.261+01:002010-04-10T12:19:54.261+01:00I agree about Vince.
He was a Labour member for m...I agree about Vince.<br /><br />He was a Labour member for most of his life and indeed a Labour PPC. He still is a Fabian.<br /><br />I suspect that being a Chief Economist for an oil company didn't sit too well with the raving socialists at the time and he found a home in the Lib Dems.<br /><br />He's clearly a socialist in yellow clothing.<br /><br />As for Nick Clegg. I don't blame him in the slightest for his aggression.<br /><br />Nick has been treated with outright contempt by both Brown and Cameron and their MP's. Cameron started it by referring to him as "a joke" during an interview with the BBC.<br /><br />Tell me Iain, just how friendly would you be to your opponents if you were treated in such a way?<br /><br />That's why I find the late turnaround in new found respect for Nick Clegg nauseating. It seems he might be useful to them after all. If I was him i'd rule out a coalition and tell them both to go self fornicate.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11900834283869111242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-17432570716120104152010-04-10T11:18:57.054+01:002010-04-10T11:18:57.054+01:00and the Tories say Labour are rattled.
I can unde...and the Tories say Labour are rattled.<br /><br />I can understand your envy with having to endure Osborne as your chancellor. Darling or even Cable is far better than Boy George.<br /><br />3 pounds per week !! that is indeed life changing well done.golden_ballshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17002302454171212086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-82644476660902381012010-04-10T11:17:32.633+01:002010-04-10T11:17:32.633+01:00It's beginning to look as if they should call ...It's beginning to look as if they should call themselves the LabDemsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-44086922025650968652010-04-10T11:09:29.382+01:002010-04-10T11:09:29.382+01:00Cable can say what he wants because he'll neve...Cable can say what he wants because he'll never be in a position to influence things..we hope..Simon Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15328606546904222885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-8682090145454248642010-04-10T10:31:48.564+01:002010-04-10T10:31:48.564+01:00Echoing Dan above, I think there are serious probl...Echoing Dan above, I think there are serious problems with the Tories' policy. It's incoherent and once explained will prove quite insulting to many 'hard-working families'. More <a href="http://gawragbag.blogspot.com/2010/04/marriage-tax-bullshit.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.Gareth Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05058241057385364459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-25206474122088574202010-04-10T10:24:18.691+01:002010-04-10T10:24:18.691+01:00I was against the tax when I heard it initially. I...I was against the tax when I heard it initially. I wouldn't stay with a horrible wife for £3 a week. <br /><br />David Willets turned me with his argument. <br /><br />The point of the marriage tax is the point of marriage. <br /><br />Marriage is a contract for two people to support each other for life. So if one isn't working, for example to bring up children, or they were disabled then they should share the tax burden as well. <br /><br />I reckon the Tories need to go the full hog and say that tax is shared whilst a parent brings up children. <br /><br />Together with this the Tories need to publish the marriage contract in full. Marriage is more than a day out for Bridezilla. Marriage is about financial commitment and involves complete trust for life. If the contract were writ large people would be more careful before committing.javelinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685858339910528013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-43993712037201589022010-04-10T10:17:59.048+01:002010-04-10T10:17:59.048+01:00So there we have it, Balls claiming a man can beat...So there we have it, Balls claiming a man can beat up his wife, leave get married again and then get the TAX BREAK.<br /><br />Well why do the people not turn the tables on him.<br /><br />The women can get married again or leave the marriage. £3 as they say is not going to ensure she stays to get hit. (it is a signal of intent)<br /><br />Is balls saying labour believes all married couples are subjected to the husband beating the wife? Does this not happen in other types of relationships?<br /><br />The LIBDEMLAB PACT are clearly worried. Great tactical move by Osborne.<br /><br />I know two young girls who have recently had babies out of wedlock.<br /><br />First is not working her boyfriend has a poor job they have been given a council flat, rather nice, have had benefits showered on them.<br /><br />The other girl lives with her boyfriend at his parents house, both have good jobs and get nothing, not eligible for a council flat because they are considered to earn too much.<br /><br />One will be a benefit liability all her life, the other will be disadvantaged by a LIBDEM-LAB government.<br />I know where my vote will be going, I would rather commit suicide, than see Brown returned.The Purplelinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13824474829595685623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-76643351677968479072010-04-10T10:17:59.049+01:002010-04-10T10:17:59.049+01:00As usual, your history is confused norman. The lib...As usual, your history is confused norman. The lib/lab pact ended before the "Winter of Discontent", but the latter was heavily exaggerated anyway by the Tory-supporting media - many of the best-known stories of that period like unburied bodies have been proven fake.DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.com