By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Tim issued a reminder at the start of the week that there is currently a big debate about tax. He also pointed out that George Osborne isn't playing a big part in it. But isn't the current debate the wrong way round? Shouldn't it be about how to cut […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter In his most important intervention since resigning as Defence Secretary Liam Fox has issued a coded warning that the Coalition's deficit reduction strategy could be at risk if action is not taken to accelerate economic growth. In an article for tomorrow's Financial Times Dr Fox says the Chancellor has "created […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Some interesting developments on tax policy this weekend. Three stand out. (1) THE JUMP-START-THE-ECONOMY WITH TAX CUTS ARGUMENT The one that has got the most attention is Ed Balls' call for a "temporary reversal of [Osborne's] VAT rise". Guido takes Ed Balls seriously and thinks the Shadow Chancellor is closer […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter George Osborne has described this morning's news from Moody's as a "reality check". The ratings agency has put Britain on "negative outlook" and this means that there's a 30% chance that Britain could follow America and lose its triple A status. A few headline observations: Moody's have altered Britain's status […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter There are a lot of press stories yesterday and today about the Chancellor's tax options in the looming budget. Mr Osborne will meet his fellow Quadsters (Cameron, Clegg and Alexander) later today to discuss options. It is understood that he's kicked the income tax threshold ball back into Mr Clegg's […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter In opposition, George Osborne believed that the Conservative Party's family approach was part of its image problem. He thought that key groups of voters think that the party wants women in the home, if not in the kitchen: that they suspected it wants to wrestle the hands of the […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. In a speech to the Federation of Small Business this evening, George Osborne will explain the Government's decision not to block RBS Chief Executive Stephen Hester’s bonus, in order to maintain value for the taxpayer: "And let me say something about the row over bonuses and pay. Of course we need to […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter In the latest ConservativeHome survey we asked respondents to rate the importance of 23 policy themes for convincing voters "that the Conservatives are a modern, compassionate party". Respondents voted between 0 (unimportant) to 10 (very important). The average ratings are pasted below: Improve schools: 8.48 Keep inflation under control: 8.33 […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Using claimants and bankers as scapegoats risks creating a culture of victimhood… A scapegoat is a victim who takes peoples' sins on itself. Doesn't the word apply to the small proportion of claimants gaining more than £26,000 in benefits and bankers taking a few millions in bonuses? Don't get […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter. The Coalition's policy of raising the income tax threshold to £10,000 enjoys the overwhelming support of voters. 83% tell YouGov (PDF) that they support the policy and just 8% oppose. It was Nick Clegg who forced the policy on to George Osborne during the initial Coalition negotiations and its […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Thatcher's tax settlement… Margaret Thatcher inherited economic ruin and high taxes, and the two were intimately connected to each other. The top rate of income tax was 83% and the basic rate was 33%. She believed that such rates thwarted enterprise, slowed growth, depressed revenues as avoidance thrived, and […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. David Cameron's speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos yesterday focused squarely on European economic issues. Mr Cameron strongly criticised the way European leaders have responded to the €urozone crisis, and condemned the "madness" of European regulations like the proposed Financial Transaction Tax. The theme that ran throughout […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter. Nick Clegg on ITV earlier this morning. Big moment in the short history of the Coalition today and Nick Clegg wants you to know it. His spin-doctor was tweeting at half-six this morning, trailing the fact that the Deputy PM would be on ITV Daybreak, Sky News, BBC Breakfast […]
In recent days, Liam Fox has resurfaced after his resignation as Defence Secretary. In two internventions, he has focused on security issues – and, in particular, on the link between fiscal conservatism and the values of the west. In an article for the Washington Times, Dr Fox repeats a theme that he and William Hague […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Two days ago, David Cameron made it clear that he would like changes made to the child benefit plans which wreaked such havoc at the 2010 party conference, telling the House Magazine: “Some people say that’s the unfairness of it, that you lose the child benefit if you have […]