| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 09:57 - May 22 with 1876 views | footers |
You must have missed Theresa and the gang saying it is over. Rejoice. |  |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:00 - May 22 with 1865 views | Steve_M |
It always was an ideological decision by Cameron and Osborne to shrink the state. It's not just poverty but whole parts of society - the NHS, prison system, the military, the police - are stretched beyond an acceptable limit.
And to save anyone else bothering, Gordon Brown didn't cause a global financial crisis and Osborne's spending plans in opposition promised to match Labour's. |  |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:00 - May 22 with 1863 views | Swansea_Blue |
'Just poor people though, aren't they - who gives a cr@p? As long as we lie to them enough to convince them to vote for us'
= government policy |  |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:16 - May 22 with 1837 views | Guthrum |
The "hostile environment" is not limited to immigration. While cost savings are necessary, this has gone far beyond in parading a harshness towards the unfortunate as a virtue.
But governments have to give the illusion that they are constantly cutting expenditure in order to provide tax cut bribes for the electorate - rather than facing people with the actual, stark choice of reasonable taxes (including enforcing tax upon large businesses) for reasonable services or low tax for poor services (with concomitant news stories of poverty and desperation, plus opprobrium from outside observers).
The only other source of government funds with which to be more generous is borrowing, which isn't as cheap as it used to be, very quickly builds up debts and is unsustainable in the long run. Unless, perhaps, you take the New Deal approach of a big splurge of spending to kick-start the economy. Tho that only works if you have an economy capable of running at a high level once revived in that way. |  |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:19 - May 22 with 1823 views | Guthrum |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:00 - May 22 by Swansea_Blue |
'Just poor people though, aren't they - who gives a cr@p? As long as we lie to them enough to convince them to vote for us'
= government policy |
Altho they didn't in 2017 (hence the DUP millstone around Theresa May's neck) and are unlikely to do so next time, either. | |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:19 - May 22 with 1823 views | chicoazul |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:16 - May 22 by Guthrum |
The "hostile environment" is not limited to immigration. While cost savings are necessary, this has gone far beyond in parading a harshness towards the unfortunate as a virtue.
But governments have to give the illusion that they are constantly cutting expenditure in order to provide tax cut bribes for the electorate - rather than facing people with the actual, stark choice of reasonable taxes (including enforcing tax upon large businesses) for reasonable services or low tax for poor services (with concomitant news stories of poverty and desperation, plus opprobrium from outside observers).
The only other source of government funds with which to be more generous is borrowing, which isn't as cheap as it used to be, very quickly builds up debts and is unsustainable in the long run. Unless, perhaps, you take the New Deal approach of a big splurge of spending to kick-start the economy. Tho that only works if you have an economy capable of running at a high level once revived in that way. |
Have taxes gone down since 2010? Serious question, I have no idea. |  |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:23 - May 22 with 1806 views | No9 |
I understand there is a bunch of tory MP's who are accusing the UN of lies & deception and plan to take it up with a view to gettign the report rubbished.
The right has only just started |  | | |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:24 - May 22 with 1805 views | Herbivore |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:19 - May 22 by chicoazul |
Have taxes gone down since 2010? Serious question, I have no idea. |
Yes. Higher tax free allowance for all and a number of tax cuts for the benefit of the most well off. Top rate tax rate has dropped, they've also cut inheritance tax and I think corporation tax too (less certain on that one). |  |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:26 - May 22 with 1802 views | No9 |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:19 - May 22 by chicoazul |
Have taxes gone down since 2010? Serious question, I have no idea. |
Maybe uneccessary tax cuts are part of the problem?
Some tax changes have created a serious loss to the treasury | | | |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:26 - May 22 with 1792 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:19 - May 22 by Guthrum |
Altho they didn't in 2017 (hence the DUP millstone around Theresa May's neck) and are unlikely to do so next time, either. |
We can but hope  | |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:27 - May 22 with 1790 views | footers |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:24 - May 22 by Herbivore |
Yes. Higher tax free allowance for all and a number of tax cuts for the benefit of the most well off. Top rate tax rate has dropped, they've also cut inheritance tax and I think corporation tax too (less certain on that one). |
Corporation tax has fallen year on year for I think 46 years. Which is frankly fcking bizarre. | |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:28 - May 22 with 1784 views | Herbivore |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:27 - May 22 by footers |
Corporation tax has fallen year on year for I think 46 years. Which is frankly fcking bizarre. |
I mean, it's already effectively zero for most large multinationals. | |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:29 - May 22 with 1784 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:19 - May 22 by chicoazul |
Have taxes gone down since 2010? Serious question, I have no idea. |
Mine have gone up (pro-rata). Suppose it depends on individual circumstances and which taxes you're counting. They're big fans of unveiling a big giveaway only to then claw it back in more stealthy ways. | |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:34 - May 22 with 1764 views | clive_baker |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:28 - May 22 by Herbivore |
I mean, it's already effectively zero for most large multinationals. |
Tough balance though isn't it? I mean we want to be attractive enough for companies like Google to build their feck off new office at Kings Cross. Hard to quantify the value that adds, initially the construction jobs to get it built, then the jobs it creates to work there and the services to it ; cleaners, electrical, lighting, food - the list is endless really, and the knock on jobs from those services etc.
I wouldn't like to be the person to try and work out where that tipping point is at which point corporation tax deters those companies from coming here. |  |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:38 - May 22 with 1755 views | Guthrum |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:19 - May 22 by chicoazul |
Have taxes gone down since 2010? Serious question, I have no idea. |
Overall tax revenue as a proportion of GDP has remained pretty much flat. Which, given it was inadequate to start off with, is not satisfactory.
https://www.ukpublicrevenue.co.uk/uk_national_revenue_analysis
The low tax meme did not begin in 2010, but the effects were masked by cheap borrowing prior to 2008. | |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:39 - May 22 with 1749 views | Herbivore |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:34 - May 22 by clive_baker |
Tough balance though isn't it? I mean we want to be attractive enough for companies like Google to build their feck off new office at Kings Cross. Hard to quantify the value that adds, initially the construction jobs to get it built, then the jobs it creates to work there and the services to it ; cleaners, electrical, lighting, food - the list is endless really, and the knock on jobs from those services etc.
I wouldn't like to be the person to try and work out where that tipping point is at which point corporation tax deters those companies from coming here. |
If you make money in the UK you should pay tax on that money, it's a simple one for me to be honest. I don't think we should be enabling large companies to avoid paying tax, regardless of whether allowing such tax avoidance might attract some companies to build offices here. Although given we're one of the largest economies in the world I'd expect most major companies would have a presence here anyway. | |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:42 - May 22 with 1737 views | footers |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:39 - May 22 by Herbivore |
If you make money in the UK you should pay tax on that money, it's a simple one for me to be honest. I don't think we should be enabling large companies to avoid paying tax, regardless of whether allowing such tax avoidance might attract some companies to build offices here. Although given we're one of the largest economies in the world I'd expect most major companies would have a presence here anyway. |
We're one of the most affluent, well eduacted countries in the world. Doing business here should come at a premium, which isn't the case currently. How we let multinationals siphon money out of the UK from abroad is a scandal.
The EU, meanwhile, is clamping down on tax avoidance/evasion, but now we're leaving we won't be a part of it. How convenient. | |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:44 - May 22 with 1732 views | Herbivore |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:42 - May 22 by footers |
We're one of the most affluent, well eduacted countries in the world. Doing business here should come at a premium, which isn't the case currently. How we let multinationals siphon money out of the UK from abroad is a scandal.
The EU, meanwhile, is clamping down on tax avoidance/evasion, but now we're leaving we won't be a part of it. How convenient. |
It's almost like people like Rees-Mogg and Farage might not be too happy about tax avoidance being clamped down on..... | |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:47 - May 22 with 1720 views | footers |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:44 - May 22 by Herbivore |
It's almost like people like Rees-Mogg and Farage might not be too happy about tax avoidance being clamped down on..... |
How could you be so cynical! I'm shocked, shocked I tells ya.
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:47 - May 22 with 1718 views | clive_baker |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:39 - May 22 by Herbivore |
If you make money in the UK you should pay tax on that money, it's a simple one for me to be honest. I don't think we should be enabling large companies to avoid paying tax, regardless of whether allowing such tax avoidance might attract some companies to build offices here. Although given we're one of the largest economies in the world I'd expect most major companies would have a presence here anyway. |
They certainly wouldn't have a presence here if Corporation Tax was prohibitive to doing so.
I don't disagree with you in principle by the way, it frustrates me that these huge business can mop up large profits and not contribute taxes to the UK public purse. No doubt they would expect the fire brigade to turn up if the office went up in flames or the police if they were broken in to. It's just a tough balance between having more people in work = more absolute contribution into the pot, more disposable income to fuel further growth and employments and less cost by way of benefits vs. compromising some of that by notching Corporation Tax up. | |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:54 - May 22 with 1696 views | Herbivore |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:47 - May 22 by clive_baker |
They certainly wouldn't have a presence here if Corporation Tax was prohibitive to doing so.
I don't disagree with you in principle by the way, it frustrates me that these huge business can mop up large profits and not contribute taxes to the UK public purse. No doubt they would expect the fire brigade to turn up if the office went up in flames or the police if they were broken in to. It's just a tough balance between having more people in work = more absolute contribution into the pot, more disposable income to fuel further growth and employments and less cost by way of benefits vs. compromising some of that by notching Corporation Tax up. |
But we already have comparatively low rates of corporation tax in the UK, it's certainly not prohibitive. And the majority of companies manage to meet their obligations. We're effectively giving large multinationals a competitive advantage over SMEs by enabling large multinationals to avoid paying tax over here. It's not fair in any sense of the word and I doubt whether there is any genuine benefit from it for anyone other than the companies and their shareholders. [Post edited 22 May 2019 10:55]
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:56 - May 22 with 1687 views | Guthrum |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:34 - May 22 by clive_baker |
Tough balance though isn't it? I mean we want to be attractive enough for companies like Google to build their feck off new office at Kings Cross. Hard to quantify the value that adds, initially the construction jobs to get it built, then the jobs it creates to work there and the services to it ; cleaners, electrical, lighting, food - the list is endless really, and the knock on jobs from those services etc.
I wouldn't like to be the person to try and work out where that tipping point is at which point corporation tax deters those companies from coming here. |
It's not just about low tax, tho, but also prestige - having an office in London (a world-renowned business and financial hub). Otherwise they could have saved a fair bit for both themselves and their employees by going to Manchester or Cambridge.
Or gone to somewhere with an even more favourable tax regime, like Luxemboug. [Post edited 22 May 2019 10:57]
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 11:00 - May 22 with 1663 views | jeera |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:23 - May 22 by No9 |
I understand there is a bunch of tory MP's who are accusing the UN of lies & deception and plan to take it up with a view to gettign the report rubbished.
The right has only just started |
It is their way. Deny everything with the same hard-faced attitude that no one else knows any better.
"The £95bn spent on welfare and the maintenance of the state pension showed the government took tackling poverty "extremely seriously", a spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said."
I would like to see that broken down into components of expenditure and wonder how much of that goes to fund ATOS and Maximus. |  |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 11:06 - May 22 with 1639 views | clive_baker |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 10:56 - May 22 by Guthrum |
It's not just about low tax, tho, but also prestige - having an office in London (a world-renowned business and financial hub). Otherwise they could have saved a fair bit for both themselves and their employees by going to Manchester or Cambridge.
Or gone to somewhere with an even more favourable tax regime, like Luxemboug. [Post edited 22 May 2019 10:57]
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I don't disagree. In the same way Swiss watch manufacturers can charge a premium, totally understand that. My point was that I wouldn't fancy trying to forecast at what point Corporation Tax becomes prohibitive, regardless of prestige. I'm not suggesting it's correct right now, but clearly 100% would be prohibitive. The answer is somewhere between to 2, obviously, and it's a sensitive balance to try and test that optimum given the vast amount of variables. | |
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| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 11:14 - May 22 with 1613 views | Herbivore |
| Pretty sure austerity has had its' time boyos on 11:06 - May 22 by clive_baker |
I don't disagree. In the same way Swiss watch manufacturers can charge a premium, totally understand that. My point was that I wouldn't fancy trying to forecast at what point Corporation Tax becomes prohibitive, regardless of prestige. I'm not suggesting it's correct right now, but clearly 100% would be prohibitive. The answer is somewhere between to 2, obviously, and it's a sensitive balance to try and test that optimum given the vast amount of variables. |
This isn't about the rate though, it's about them being allowed to find ways to not pay any tax. Currently the rate is 19% dropping to 18% next year. That's lower by a fair bit than the EU average and G20 average, as major developed economies go we have a very 'competitive' rate of corporation tax. However, some of these big multinationals don't even pay our comparatively low rate, some pay nothing at all whilst others pay a fraction of what they should. If the government spent as much time and money on ensuring taxes were paid as they did on clamping down on people claiming benefits then our public finances would be in a much healthier state. | |
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