Gordon Brown is facing voter unrest according to a poll that suggested Middle Britain has grown weary of tax rises and no longer believes higher spending can deliver improved public services.
The ICM survey carried out for the think-tank Reform found that 82 per cent believe services have not improved despite tax rises. Nearly as many – 78 per cent – think they need reform not extra money. Worryingly for Mr Brown, the poll found strong support for the principle of lower taxes, even among Labour voters, nearly three-quarters of whom believe British competitiveness depends on keeping taxes low.
For those who think that the Tory party will now ‘get off the fence’ and trumpet their low-tax message to the world, there is some bad news. As their tiny derranged statist minds catch a whiff of power, the Tories get cold feet on their tax-cut promise (well, more like mumbling).
Despite behind-the-scenes pressure from colleagues, Mr Howard has signalled his determination to move away from Iain Duncan Smith’s talk of tax cuts amid fears they would be difficult to deliver.
Oliver Letwin, the new shadow chancellor, warned at the weekend that such a pledge would be “irresponsible” and even hinted that an incoming Tory government could face “transitional costs” to implement its manifesto that would push up public spending.
‘Irresponsible’ and ‘transitional cost’, oh yes. Bigger government anyone? It woudl be fair to say that Samizdata.net position is that the folks who see the ‘resurgent’ Tory party as ‘just the ticket’ to rescue us from Tony Blair not just wrong but deluded.
A magazine from the district council fell through the letterbox yesterday. Inside was a questionairre, “What would you like the council to do?”. Sadly “fuck off” wasn’t an option. Instead were loads of questions like “aim for more equality in health provision” and so on. You can win £50 for replying so I wonder if my entry with “none of the above – give us back the £1200 you and West Sussex have extracted through armed robbery and butt out of our lives” will get me back some of my loot. That’s right by the way, £1200 for the bins collected, some streetlighting and the police. Cos-bloody-mic.
I’m sure a lot of the bullshit they have to do is forced on from central government but, judging a book by it’s cover, do this motley bunch of Tories, Libs and a few plucky Labs look like the sort to attempt to hold back a statist tide.
“It woudl be fair to say that Samizdata.net position is that the folks who see the ‘resurgent’ Tory party as ‘just the ticket’ to rescue us from Tony Blair not just wrong but deluded.”
I didn’t realise Samizdata had a collective position on anything, and I’ve heard pro-Tory mutterings around here before (even when IDS was still at the helm of the, erm, sinking ship – what were you thinking?), but if there is anything everyone here can agree on, it’s certainly that those folks are indeed deluded.
“I didn’t realise Samizdata had a collective position on anything…”
It doesn’t. But I do happen to concur with Gabriel.
Me too. But the names of one or two Samizdatistas who don’t entirely think that way are going through my head. And that is of course fine.
Ditto. We have explained our position on politics in general and in that sense Gabriel’s assertion of a position for Samizdata.net holds. It does not mean it is collective, it merely reinforces Samizdata.net perspective. Remember, editors are God and therefore no collective position is possible. 😀
I happen to think that a party willing to put down a marker (and hence be measured) by publicly marking Tax Freedom Day is at least the lesser evil.
I would hope that middle-England hascome to it’s senses but what puzzles me is that the Lib Dems made gains over the last 5 years in middle-England consituencies, despite following a socialist mandate?
They promise higher income tax, higher council tax e.t.c. with the promise of “better public services” in return.
Turkeys voting for christmas comes to mind.
John – I agree with you! A marker … a means of measurement.
BTW, does anyone (this is a genuine question, not a little sarcky point) really think the Brits would vote to be governed by another Scot – this one a dour son of the manse? The overweening arrogance of the assumption will revolt many voters. Added to which, Blair’s self-righteous prissiness has been unbearable. Wait until they see the judgemental son of the manse. Genuine enquiry, will the English vote another Scot in or, being sickened of being governed from north of the border, vote in an English government?
And, of course, the assumption that the Brits are governed by two ambitious private individuals making a deal one night is totally obscene.
Personally, I don’t think Gordon Brown has a chance in hell of ever getting the top spot.
Hands up those who he does.
Verity, much depends on the manner of Bliar’s going. If he loses a general election, the matter of Brown doesn’t arise. otoh, if he just resigns one day – as Harold Wilson did – and the Labour Party in the Commons is otherwise unchanged, then the Queen will send for whoever can command a majority – in other words, whoever is then leading the Labour Party. So it might well be Brown, and the electorate might not even get a say. That’s how we ended up with “sunny Jim” Callaghan, after all.
Forgive me if you already know all this – I don’t know where you’re posting from.
Andrew – Thanks, actually.
Posting from France, but Brit brought up mainly in US – so indoctrinated with the notion of liberty – and lived there as an adult.
Even if Brown got called in by Her Maj, I don’t see it lasting. The British are far freer and more rebellious than they were during Callaghan’s day. I think they will resent the very idea that two men in a private deal sincerely believed they could carve up the future of Britain for their own power and glory. 59m freeborn Brits have never been in Blair’s gift and he can’t will it so.
Well, I had supposed that the Liberal Democrats were the least of three evils for the time being, but I guess it’s just a different kind of evil. So, out of curiosity, what do liberty-minded Britons think the best path to British liberty is? New party? Conquer the Tories, as Dr. Sean Gabb suggests? Conquer the Liberal Democrats as I thought for a while (and still might think)? Move to America? =)
– Josh
Move. The force is against you.
Verity,
“I think they will resent the very idea that two men in a private deal sincerely believed they could carve up the future of Britain for their own power and glory. 59m freeborn Brits have never been in Blair’s gift and he can’t will it so.”
I do so hate myself for saying this but you may be heading for a crashing disappointment.
That famous, feisty British spirit has been worn down to a nub. I don’t believe it survives in anything like a meaningful sense.
Sadly, David, I agree with you. That is why I advised: Move.
And your response didn’t have your usual wittty fizzle. It sounded despairing.
What caused Britain to lose its nerve? How did it come to two little ambitious sleazes cutting up the UK and no one saying them nay? In fact, everyone taking them at their own script?
Yes, David, I agree with you.
I really doubt whether we’re seeing a “loss of nerve”, and if this country were to face a dire military threat I suggest the present generation would fight as tenaciously and skilfully as previous ones. But at the same time I’m not sure how “feisty” we`are as political animals: I wonder when David Carr thinks we were last like this – ? Some time in the early part of the 19th century? As far as I can see we’ve been politically supine for well over 100 years, lapping up higher & higher taxes, and increasingly contemptuous treatment from Westminster, with barely a qualm. Surely it’s been said here before: the incrementalists have succeeded in building a massive constituency for state control and all that goes with it. The huge numbers of people who profit directly or indirectly from state patronage might go along with saloon bar moans about taxation, but will never vote for any diminution of state power that might damage their affluence & influence. And while the UK is heavily taxed, horribly expensive and lurching towards the police state, most people are fairly comfortable – or just don’t think it matters that much. Not with a bang, etc…
Tony H,
I second all of that, sir.
When I used the word ‘feisty’ what I meant is that there was a robust belief in civil society and great pride in being ‘the freest country in the world’. There was a time when Brits were prepared to stand by this things resolutely. Thus the predations of the state were kept at bay, not so much by political fervour but by steadfast refusal.
All that has been attenuated and replaced with grievance culture, a dependence mentality and entitlement-itis.
Verity remarks of my lack of ‘witty fizzle’ and she is right. It is a long-drawn out tragedy and I just cannot bring myself to laugh about it any way.
Josh:Well, I had supposed that the Liberal Democrats were the least of three evils for the time being,
Probably better than Labour on civil liberties but just as bad when it comes to petty-minded banning of things and even worse on taxes. They have a plan to replace local property taxes with a local income tax so they can squeeze even more out of middle income earners
but I guess it’s just a different kind of evil. So, out of curiosity, what do liberty-minded Britons think the best path to British liberty is? New party? Conquer the Tories, as Dr. Sean Gabb suggests? Conquer the Liberal Democrats as I thought for a while (and still might think)?
Well, the electoral arithmetic works against the Lib Dems because their support is spread accross the country fairly evenly while the other two parties have more concentrated support in particular areas, so the Tories are the only party with a serious chance of removing Labour from power. Don’t ever expect an intellectually consistent programme from the Conservative Party but it is the only major party likely to ever adopt any libertarian ideas, which is why, I suspect, it comes in for more opprobrium from disappointed libertarians than any other.
Move to America? =)
How does one get a Green Card nowadays?
“They have a plan to replace local property taxes with a local income tax so they can squeeze even more out of middle income earners”
Replace? Don’t you believe it! When did a politican ever give up a tax?
Replace? Don’t you believe it! When did a politican ever give up a tax?
When said politician felt it was a choice between giving up the tax and giving up the job.
The thing that makes a local income tax worse, as I see it, is that with the property tax, people are already complaining that it is too much, which acts as a restraint on politicians raising it further. With an income tax, more money can be taken from the middle classes and richer without too many people on the streets demonstrating. In the UK about half of local council spending is funded by grants from the centre, which is largely income tax anyway, and only a fraction comes from the property tax. I totally agree with you that with a local income tax we would not see any reduction in central income tax to make up for it.
Probably better than Labour on civil liberties but just as bad when it comes to petty-minded banning of things and even worse on taxes.
I knew they were worse on taxes, but they are at least honest about it. I figured that trying to get Blair’s hatred of thousand-year old English civil rights under control was Job 1, and the LibDems were the only party credible at all about it.
FWIW, during the special of the opening of Parliament, which was aired here on C-SPAN, they spoke to a LibDem MP and a Labour MP about some new regulation about selling one’s house. The Labour MP talked about some dumb socialist crap – I tune it out now. The LibDem MP talked about there being too much regulation on housing sales in the UK, and that this would increase the cost of selling one’s home, hurting housing consumers. I snapped to attention because:
1. I watch entirely too much about British politics, and no one talks like this except the occasional Tory MP who doesn’t really mean it.
2. The guy was a LibDem.
They have a plan to replace local property taxes with a local income tax so they can squeeze even more out of middle income earners
Replace. That’s a good one.
[snip much useful demographic information about voting patterns]
How does one get a Green Card nowadays?
If you were that tall gorgeous creature from the Adam Smith Institute Christmas party, I would have a suggestion. However, I don’t know otherwise, and I wouldn’t exactly suggest visiting us in America right now. Our president is a bit mad. Try Ireland or New Zealand.
– Josh
“How does one get a Green Card nowadays? ”
Speak Spanish and you won’t need one.