I'm not sure what more they can say on taxation at this stage. I've just seen McFadden on BBC and Naga Munchetty literally tried to get him to say the words 'Capital gains tax will not rise under Labour.' Of course he couldn't say that, merely parroting the line that 'nothing in our manifesto requires any tax increases other than those already announced'. It seems the manifesto will be pretty unambitious, but is intended to be a 'starting point'. Let's not forget that Blair committed to sticking to Tory spending plans for the first two years of his government. I still hope and believe that Labour will increase capital gains tax, will restructure council tax, and just might introduce a wealth tax, using this additional revenue to fix broken Britain, but none of these tax changes will happen immediately. It's a frustratingly cautious approach, but still better than the alternative.
Voting in this country is like being given the choice of grasping the end of a stick that has sh1t on both ends. It has to be worse than it has ever been.
How low can the bar be? The surveys show that the majority of the electorate put improving public services above tax cuts, yet these so called socialists put copying the most unpopular government in history higher than listening to people. Did you see Starmer when questioned about his support for Corbyn? Sickening.
I will see both your England and Australia and raise with Wales …. 25 years under one Party that the sheeple keep voting back into power …
Starmer's answer on Corbyn was bewildering, but what would be truly sickening is five more years of a Tory government that would move even further to the right. As far as I'm concerned, the first priority is to get the Tories out, and, however much I'm frustrated by Starmer's excessive caution, he's done a remarkable job in getting Labour from the catastrophic defeat of 2019 to the brink of power in 2024, and that's been largely achieved by not saying anything that might frighten people in the middle ground. I'd much rather he won power by saying that he'd renationalise the utilities, rejoin the single market, and tax the rich to fund public services, but the most radical of socialists can't reach their socialist goals without first gaining power. As I've said, I remain hopeful that Starmer will be much more radical in power than his unambitious manifesto will suggest. If he isn't, my vote will go elsewhere in 2029.
That five more years of Tories isn’t going to happen, and it’s got nothing to do with Starmer, they have major self inflicted wounds. My prediction is that Starmer will prove to be just as grey, scared and unambitious in power as in opposition. The dearth of talent in his team will become apparent very quickly. He is not being carried in to power on a wave of hope, more as a result of disgust with the current lot, which means his honeymoon period with the public will be very short. Limp on for five years with the fabric of the country in continual decline, during which time the Tory party will eat itself, any luck a hung parliament in 2029. It would be fun to be able to read the manifestos, or at least the key points of them, without knowing which brand they stood for. I reckon there is no way you would vote Labour based on that test.
Based purely on the manifestos, I'd vote Green, or possibly LibDem. They won't be in government, though. My preferred outcome would probably be a smallish Labour majority, with LibDems the biggest opposition party and a good sprinkling of Green MPs.
You’ll have to forgive my ranting mate, the constant exposure to politicians of all hues and their media hangers on has irritated my cynicism glands to an enormous degree.
No problem, your points are valid. As expected, nothing new in the Labour manifesto. Good speech by Starmer, though.
I know what you’re saying Strolls. The country has had enough of the Tories … it was only a matter of time (as it is for any party taking Government). That Labour took 14 years to actually stand any chance is something they should consider a disaster of there own that they simply couldn’t muster a suitable and credible opposition. But Starmer doesn’t look like a leader, doesn’t act like a leader and I have no idea what he’s going to do (probably because he’s got no idea himself). The rest are a cluster. Part of me wants to see him at PM Questions in 12 months while the opposition just decry everything he’s done week after week after week, say the opposite to everything, answer nothing he puts to the opposition and find out his government ministers have their fat fingers in the pie just like all the other politicians have done. I think you’ll struggle to put radical and Starmer in the same sentence Strolls; he’s a toolmakers son in a suit done good for himself. It won’t end well. Edit: I hope I’m totally wrong. This country desperately needs to get back on its feet.
Starmer's government is, apparently, all about wealth creation. So, there's no way he'll hike up CGT then. Yeah, right....
He's talking about creating wealth for the country as a whole, not a small number of individuals. I fully expect CGT to go up under Labour, and so it should.
It's not a small number of individuals that invest in British companies. If CGT is doubled, it will deter investors, and also those thinking of selling shares. Labour may get less tax than a reasonable rate, and damage British industry at the same time. How can that be a policy for growth? It's just another sound bite
As it stands, someone who earns most of their money from their wealth - like Rishi Sunak - pays a much lower tax rate than someone who relies on going out to work for their living. Income from wealth should be taxed at the same rate as income from work. It's a no-brainer. Incidentally, all of Sunak's investment income and capital gains came from a US-based investment fund listed as a blind trust.
About 25% of Brits invest in shares. They will be hit, as will entrepreneurs who start companies and sell on to bigger companies, creating wealth and employment. Both share buying and starting new companies carries risk. Money can be lost as well as made. 4o% CGT will be a deterrent to investors and entrepreneurs. Why take risks with your money, if the government will take nearly half any profit, but won't share losses?
Disagrees? He's dead. Lawson brought in the tax when the economy was running hot. Not a frozen corpse as the economy is now.
