What is the most stupid, crass and wasteful tax proposal you've heard recently? Which one do you think is the biggest and most pointless waste of money? There is only one which really gets me spitting blood. Let me tell you why. Normally I leave this sort of thing alone, but when something is plain stupid, you just have to say.
Last week I celebrated my 15th wedding anniversary. Over the 15 years we've had some difficult times, most notably losing my mother and both of my wifes parents in the space of 18 months. It is hard to say whether this brought us closer together as we were pretty close together to start with. Why did I marry her? Because it was clear to both of us that we much preferred being together than apart (we tried that as well before we got hitched). The Shadow Chancellor George Osborne has come up with the idea of an "incentive" for people to get/stay married. He's going to give them a cash bung via the tax system.
Now excuse me for asking, but isn't there meant to be a crisis in public finances. Isn't there meant to be a squeeze on the cash the Government have to spolsh around? There are many levels which make this proposed "incentive" a bad idea. The biggest one is that it will have no effect whatsoever on whether people who really like each other get or stay married. It might mean that people who have split up, stay officially married until they meet new partners, to make a few quid. It's not inconceivable that a few people who don't even know each other and have no intention of having a relationship get married to get their hands on the cash. What will it acheive? Will it stimulate the economy? Unlikely. Will it create New jobs? Unlikely. Where will it come from? A tax on banks. Aren't these all skint and desperately trying to rebuild their balances sheets? Aren't most of them owned by the taxcpayer, so the dividends go to the treasury anyway. Will George Osborne wake up one morning to find that all he's done with his bank tax is deprive himself of dividends?
There are plenty of other things he could have done, if he really though that taxing banks was the best way to stimulate the economy. Here's a few suggestions, feel free to let me know which ones you think might have been a better option.
a) Repaid some of the National debt, reducing the amount of interest we'll have to pay in future.
b) Electrified or built a new rail line, generating jobs, improving infrastructure and making our nation greener.
c) Built some new prisons so we could lock up more criminals and reduce all of our insurance bills and let us sleep sounder at night.
d) Given small businesses employing less than five people a tax break if they took on extra staff.
e) Built offshore wind farms to produce cheap sustainable electricity and lessen our dependence on erratic foreign supplies.
f) Given a tax break to people buyimng electric cars, to improve the economy and develop jobs within a green industry.
g) Built new council houses to help deal with the crisis of housing in our country
i) Reduce the Tax on home grown wine to stimulate the local industry
Now I've just picked a random list of proposals from various parties and candidates which I've seen over the last few weeks. I support some but not all of these proposals. Please let me know if there is anyone out there who thinks that George Osbornes proposal is better for us than any of these and why. This marriage tax bung is stupid and wasteful and just shows that George Osborne isn't up to the job (By the way, on my wedding anniversary I saw Ken Clarke being interviewed on BBC News Channel after our nice meal out, seems from his comments he's with me on this one and thinks Osborne is wrong). If you are planning to vote Tory as you think they know how to run the economy properly, think again. Whilst many Tories are posting web stories saying "Vince Cable isn't quite as marvellous as you may think" none of them have actually managed to say they have the slightest belief that George Osborne know better than Vince Cable. The reason? because they'd look like idiots before the world if they did.
6 comments:
Certainly didn't for £150. And countries where govts legislate on people's social lives tend not to be free societies. Govt has no business regulating what goes on in the bedroom.
Rog
I do find this married tax allowance proposal rather strange. It might appeal to older generations, but the new Tories are supposed to be all modern and hip, and the world has changed over the last 20/30 years.
It is certainly true that children raised by two loving parents will do better in life than those raised in a dysfunctional law breaking environment, but I have not seen any evidence that says that being married will make someone a better parent. Indeed, I would argue that if parents no longer get on with each other, then staying married “for the sake of the kids” or for the sake of a tax allowance will do more harm than good.
It is also unfair on single parents - many of whom (possibly most?) are not single by choice.
In any event, as AProlefrom1984 says above, it really isn’t the state’s business to get involved in people’s personal and private lives. In a sense this is similar to the punitive tax rises on alcohol - because some people abuse alcohol, everyone who drinks moderately has to pay more. Because some people do not raise their children properly, the state has decided that only married couples should be deemed to be worthy parents.
Single people, and those who choose to cohabit but not marry, are already discriminated against through the tax system. This will not solve the issue of problem children. Or problem parents.
I am disappointed you want even more prison places. The UK locks up far more people than other European countries, partly due to craven politicians pandering to the tabloids.
Better to fund projects that do not involve prison - or reduce welath differentials in society, which always increases crime.
Baarnet,
I am not advocating building more prison places. I said "I support some not all of these policies". I was just giving a range of suggestions I've read from various people as to how the money may be better spent.
That is one specific policy which I heard a Conservative suggesting should be adopted. I was seeking to illustrate that Osbornes Tax proposal is a stupid way to spend money and to give a range of options from across the spectrum as alternatives to get a debate going.
As I understand it, this 'incentive' is worth around £150 per year. I understand that the average cost of a wedding is around £10,000. This means you have to stay married for over 66 years to be in profit.
Hmmm...encouraging very long term relationships? Or just relying on people's poor mathematical skills?
As I understand it, this 'incentive' is worth around £150 per year. I understand that the average cost of a wedding is around £10,000. This means you have to stay married for over 66 years to be in profit.
Hmmm...encouraging very long term relationships? Or just relying on people's poor mathematical skills?
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