Gives with one hand (NI cut) and takes it back with other hand (income tax thresholds frozen) same old Tory ********
Does this mean the already underfunded NHS that's on its arse is even more underfunded? Or does the tax increase go to the NHS? I don't understand it
There was an interesting analysis on twitter earlier which said that one of the major problems with the budget in general is that politicians probably don't realise how rich you need to be to really notice a tax cut. I follow politics quite closely, and I'm able to assess that a 2p cut in NI will save me this or that, and it's offset against possibly paying a bit more in tax or VAT or whatever. But as somebody who earned ~£25k before I set up my own business, it almost always ended up making a tenner or so difference - at most - to the money I took home every month. Fine, as far as it goes - but this is costing tens of billions a year in tax revenues, for barely anything in my pocket! Tax cuts sound great, but if you're going to pretend that the treasury has £20bn in cash to throw about then I'd rather have had some railway lines reinstated, or hospitals built, or doctors/dentists paid, or bus services subsidised. That's going to benefit me a hell of a lot more than giving me the price of a few meal deals a month.
Unless you are a pensioner who doesn't pay NI but still has tax threshold frozen. Just to make sure that they don't get the 8.5% pension increase.
Cuts to public spending as draconian as those made under Osborne. Welcome to more of the same. But worse.
The Tory machine begins. They don't need to win everyone back. Just enough to keep them in. Target the selfish, the gullible and very quickly enough people develop very short memories.
Rachel Reeves didn't put up much of a showing on Good Morning Britain and Susanna Reid rightly held her to task. Basically Susanna was bringing up the different things Hunt brought in yesterday and Reeves sounded like a Tory agreeing with them. Poor opposition when they all blend in as one. When asked what Labour would have done different she only mentioned non domestic status. No mention of how companies that are struggling will be able to afford the wage increase to staff without charging customers more. No mention that Labour would increase the amount you earn before paying tax.
Labour dont disagree with the Tories anymore. They just say they're incompetent and inefficient. They're just trying to get in by default.
Unfortunately people have short memories, but will an extra tenner in a payslip make that much difference in this cost of living crisis when food inflation is still in double digits? It sounds like a May election given that the NI giveaway starts in January.
Great, an NI cut which will cover a fraction of the increase in mortgage payments due to Truss's suicide budget.