Sunday
Times have changed, voters want the pendulum to swing back from spending towards tax cuts. Rumours are circulating in the Westminster Village that Gordon and Alastair are preparing to announce tax cuts. Which will, even if they are only rhetorical tax cuts, in a stroke make Dave and George look ridiculous as both Labour and the LibDems promise tax cuts and the Tories are left high and dry stranded on the high tax centre ground ...
- Guido
They've had an election in New Zealand, and a conservative Politician seems likely to win. Mr. Keys is a self-made millionaire, so I'm guessing he'll have a pro-business agenda. We'll have to wait and see, but you might, in a few years time, be hearing from me from the other side of the Tasman Sea!
Posted by nick g. at November 10, 2008 02:29 AM
The difference being that the present government wants tax cuts only because it is in utter terror of a collapse in demand (already happening, thanks to fear itself and the banks now refusing good loans as somehow convinced it will make up for their bad ones) and a real depression. Guido is wrong that this is a response to general voter demand.
The government still wants to expand government, and indeed Gordon is pushing the economic collapse as an opportunity to take more control of our lives.
Posted by guy herbert at November 10, 2008 06:15 AM
If they promise tax cuts without showing how these can be delivered, it will be interesting to see what the Tories say.
Even without cutting the overall burden, the govt. or indeed the Tories could make the system less punitive by flattening and simplifying it.
Posted by Johnathan Pearce at November 10, 2008 06:38 AM
I've only skimmed the headlines so far today, but the only "tax cuts" I've seen mentioned are increases in tax credits and more "help" toward pensioners' fuel bills.
Funny old world when benefit increases are being called tax cuts!
Posted by MarkE at November 10, 2008 09:13 AM
Nothing will come of this, it's all part of the impression-building that's going on while Gordo tries to psych himself up to call a general election.
There have been loads of carefully planted headlines in the last couple of weeks, all quite obviously for this purpose, to those who have eyes to see.
Posted by Andrew Duffin at November 10, 2008 12:18 PM
If they promise tax cuts without showing how these can be delivered, it will be interesting to see what the Tories say.
I was under the impression they were planning to fund it with more government borrowing. I could be wrong, as I'm not in England and I can't remember where I read that. Maybe on Guido's site. But it certainly sounds like the sort of wonderful idea this lot would come up with.
Posted by Kev at November 10, 2008 01:51 PM
I agree that the new interest in tax reductions is a good thing - even I have to be positive sometimes.
Posted by Paul Marks at November 10, 2008 04:24 PM
