Never done one of these official threads before, quite exciting. Chancellor George Osborne says he will "tackle the economy's problems head on" and help those "who want to get on" in his Budget later. Will us normal folk be better off?
Will we ****. Unless he instantly raises tax threshold to £10k pa and take lots of people (and job salaries) out of, or reduce their tax burden then no. **** about with benefits and tax at the margins to show on Newsnight how one or more particular group benefits in theory but the fundamentals will not change.
Doubtful. Fact is things these days cost more. That means we, theoretically, should pay more tax. But that doesn't get votes.
I'm past caring. As long as the bankers who are already on six fugure salaries continue to get their massive bonuses and as long as our politicians continue to take everything they possibly can then I will be very happy. We really need to look after these people after all they are the pillars of the country and deserve everything they get.
" George Osborne Leaves Downing Street " Got to be the best headline of the day http://uk.news.yahoo.com/budget-osbornes-hopes-rescuing-economy-005900556--finance.html#9CFT8WJ
I always find it difficult to understand how the budget will affect me personally (I know that's a bit selfish), the media seem to sensationalise everything.
His opening statement about making people better off for working is a fantasy. Generally the type of person who hasn't worked for most (if not all) of their lives is only going to get a job paying around the minimum wage. If these people are on housing benefit then how much better off are you talking - £20 a week? How is that an incentive to work, it's maybe even less when you consider the associated costs with working like travelling and having to buy lunch, suitable clothing etc. If you put the minimum wage up, that will create more unemployment. It's a tough job he's got but surely he has to change tact.
Re: "The central Plank of our fiscal plan" Always enjoy watching the budget and PMQs just to see them all acting like children! They are worse than football fans with their cheering and jeering and "KICK HIM OUT!!". To think these are the people running our country.. Terrifying. Sick of hearing these Tories talking about how unemployment has reduced, though, its just because they've increased the amount of part time jobs- meaning on their figures 2 or 3 people show up as "employed" in what would have been 1 person's full time job. Can't understand who's falling for that.
Either that or transferring risk to the Public Sector and ensuring profit stays in the private sector.
The Public Sector has again took a hammering.. Increased NI Contributions for Public Sector workers, previous Pay freezes now followed by capping. No Investment in Public Social housing. I could go on.
The £2k allowance on employers NI will reduce employment costs... err but these costs were increased when the rate was increased in 2011/12 from 12.8% to 13.8%. This was the increase proposed by the Labour government which the Tories who were the opposition at the time SCREAMED was a 'tax on jobs'... still implemented it though, something to do with appeasing the Libs I think.
Re: A Tory govement that reverts to Keynesian economics Well I believe that the forecast for increase in debt in 2015 is over £2b greater than predicted when they came to office in 2010, so why not a bit of Keynesian economics.