I've never seen such a load of b*llox posted on one thread (both sides of the argument) and in particular some guy called Red West who is either the Right wing re-incarnation of A. Hitler or a master WUM. We have people whining about the so-called granny tax when in reality the increase in everyone's Personal allowance will by next year only be £500 short of what it currently is i.e. which at 20% tax is £100 i.e. less than £2 per week -when the pension has just gone up £2.50 per week with the index linking. (I am sure the last Labour Govt insulted pensioners with something like a 20p rise!!) The current Coalition has also increased the personal allowance considerably thus helping lower earners and middle income whilst lowering the upper rate threshold making those better off pay more. On the other side of the coin two key policies of this Govt (and others it has to be said) i.e. low minimum wage levels and privatisation of public services BOTH result in taxpayers and Joe Public subsidising private companies, shareholders, executives and the senior level managers of public institutions like the NHS etc. If ALL companies were forced to pay a living wage the welfare bill could be slashed and the companies could be 'recompensed via lower NI contributions and lower corporation taxes. Privatisation does NOT guarantee improved efficiency - far from it - look at the rail franchise fiascos - but DOES guarantee an additional cost to the public sector financiers i.e. taxpayer in the form of profits for the private companies to whom the work is outsourced. Fire services as an example do NOT charge clients and so are funded from the taxpayers and ratepayers. (there is a plan afoot to allow authorities outsource all aspects the fire services to the private sector). In short both sides are as bad as each other and it is the polarisation of politics that is so damaging. Nether side will acknowledge when the other side gets something right so as soon as they get into office they change everything -good as well as bad, hence the constant change in, for example, education where successive Education secretaries from both parties have to keep changing things to make political points. If it aint broke don't fix it !! Unfortunately both sides tinker so much things eventually get broken that used to work. Rant over!!