Tax the Seriously Rich to Stop Cuts
It became unfashionable during Labour’s days in power in Westminster, but mainstream politicians need to use their public profiles to trigger discussion about taxing the seriously rich, and not allow the media to get away with misleadingly translating this in to an attack on the middle classes. A couple of weeks ago, Art Uncut carried [...]
No money for food, but $350bn for Apple & friends?
US Uncut protest in Seattle, WA. By Simon Li.
What if your family’s finances were tight, and you had a water bill that you couldn’t afford to pay? What if you had a client who owed you enough to cover the water bill? Would you tell your family they would have to go without water, or would you tell your client to pay up?
While Obama and Congress allow spending plans that take $500 million out of the mouths of hungry kids and $415 million from local cops, Apple and Cisco are lobbying hard for a corporate handout worth $350 billion.
Video – Greens outline Land Value Tax plans
Countering Council Cuts: Local Alternatives to Austerity
Photo courtesy of Guardian Edinburgh via flickr While we’ve rightly been focussed so far national campaigns, defending welfare and education, we mustn’t overlook the fact that many of the cuts we are likely to face over the next few years will not be imposed directly from Westminster but by our own local councils. Opposition to [...]
Scots Greens look to close business property tax loophole
The Green Members of the Scottish Parliament have proposed closing a tax loophole on vacant commercial property, in the run up to Holyrood voting on the 2011-12 Scottish Budget. Empty business premises attract substantial discounts on Universal Business Rates – the equivalent of Council Tax for commercial property. Generally, this means paying no rates at [...]
The TaxPayers’ Alliance: Not Entirely Wrong
The Tax Payers’ Alliance (TPA) have a new report on welfare reform. Don Paskini’s already had a review of it over on Liberal Conspiracy. He makes some interesting points but I think in his rush to rubbish anything the TPA come up with (and, generally, that would be my reaction too) he fails to quite [...]
Tories propose corporate tax break?
It wasn’t just Greens keeping a close eye on our spring conference. Tory candidate for Brighton Pavillion, Charlotte Vere, was regularly tweeting about the event. This particular one caught my attention: @carolinelucas @jasonkitcat How wld you pay 4 ur policies on scrapping VAT + NI:£130bn, green jobs £44bn + transport £10bn?so £184bn.No rush so I [...]
UK climate leadership comes a cropper in Shetland
Last month, the UK government was claiming to lead the world on climate change. Ed Miliband genuinely seemed to be working hard to get a deal at Copenhagen. But today Alistair Darling announced substantial tax breaks for oil companies wishing to drill off the west of Shetland. According to the FT, The Chancellor is offering [...]