So the Tories, who used to say they were for tax cuts, only delivered some tax cuts in the mid 80's, then raised them ever since, have now said that they no longer want to cut taxes. Is this a change of policy, or perhaps, dare I suggest, some honesty ?
In local government, for example, the Tories are hardly renowned for tax cuts. In North Norfolk, for example, the Tories promised (in a bye-election), that they would deliver a 0% tax rate. When it came to the budget meeting there proposals were found to be completely uncosted and the proposals would have seen a much bigger tax rise than the small one proposed by the Lib Dems. Of course, it might just have been a false promise anyway to try and win votes in the bye-election ?)
Norfolk County Council, since becoming Tory controlled, has similarly raised taxes, cut services and all this whilst raising the allowance for entertainment by several tens of thousands of pounds for the Leader of the Council (who is a Tory, of course).
The Tories in Norfolk often talk about Breckland as an example of a low council tax. I would point out to them however that if North Norfolk got fiven the same budget allocation per head as Breckland then the Lib Dems in North Norfolk could cut council tax by more than 30% !
So, is the Tory pledge not to cut taxes just the realisation that when it comes to the crunch, and where the Tories have a track record, they rearely if ever cut taxes and indeed, taxes usually go up !
"Vote Tory for tax rises, and conversely, vote Lib Dems for tax cuts" (as passed at the Lib Dems recent conference).
It all seems a little odd doesn't it !
2 comments:
Thatcher did cut income tax, which was a very sensible thing to do, but other taxes were raised...
I think some in the Tory party have decided that tax cuts are what will win elections and nothing else...
On a completely unrelated matter, your blog title randomly made me think of the great Norfolk bardic tradition embodied in the Kipper family who have handed and penned down many a great song, such as "Walsingham Mathilda" and "Norfolk 'n' Good".
Not sure why... the vagueries of the human mind...
I was going to try and think of something really witty for my blog title, but couldn't think of anything better than Norfolk Blogger, which is a little sad really.
On the same subject,I knew someone who told me that he had a friend who owned a racehorse called "Norfolk Enchants" (say it quickly).
I think you are spot on when you say that cutting taxes is a good thing, which is why I think that the Lib Dems proposals to cut taxes is good. I was particularly pleased to see the cutting of the 50% rate for high earners, which I always thought was a dis-incentive to the sort of entrepreneurs we need to attract in the UK.
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