Starmer's vision quest
- Thread starter mjr
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Stevo 666
Senior Member
An interesting article on wealth tax from that famously partisan right wing rag, The Independent:
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/oth...ar&cvid=c097040321e24aa0c8958cc1e85853b3&ei=9
Quotes:
"Kinnock once told the party conference: “I am telling you, no matter how entertaining, how fulfilling to short-term egos, you can’t play politics with people’s jobs and with people’s services or with their homes.” Presumably he did not mean rich people who create those jobs. Because, make no mistake, he is playing politics with them, with their assets, with their success – and with the people who rely on the wealthy for their incomes, with an Exchequer that also depends on their taxes and their continued faith in Britain."
"Unfortunately, due to his status, Kinnock has a following. At least five trade unions have come forward to declare they will lean on Starmer to do what he suggests. Among them is Unison, once the employer of Angela Rayner, who was its most senior elected official in northwest England prior to becoming an MP. Christina McAnea, the Unison general secretary, said: “A wealth tax would be a much fairer way of raising revenue to invest in public services and grow the economy.” Listening to and reading their outpourings, you do have to wonder what planet they live on; which bit of a globally connected world – in which countries (including those Western countries Kinnock refers to, which have seen asset values soar and incomes stagnate) fall over themselves to attract foreign investors – they do not understand. Those nations know their money generates prosperity and jobs. Which is another way of saying economic growth."
"The evidence of rich folks voting with their feet and departing these shores is mounting by the day. Mostly they are non-doms, already a Labour target, but by no means all. One London restaurateur is nursing a 30 per cent drop in takings since Rachel Reeves delivered her first Budget. He says that is not the result of smaller plates, and weight-conscious diners eating less thanks to Ozempic, but of their having gone, leaving empty tables in their wake."
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/oth...ar&cvid=c097040321e24aa0c8958cc1e85853b3&ei=9
Quotes:
"Kinnock once told the party conference: “I am telling you, no matter how entertaining, how fulfilling to short-term egos, you can’t play politics with people’s jobs and with people’s services or with their homes.” Presumably he did not mean rich people who create those jobs. Because, make no mistake, he is playing politics with them, with their assets, with their success – and with the people who rely on the wealthy for their incomes, with an Exchequer that also depends on their taxes and their continued faith in Britain."
"Unfortunately, due to his status, Kinnock has a following. At least five trade unions have come forward to declare they will lean on Starmer to do what he suggests. Among them is Unison, once the employer of Angela Rayner, who was its most senior elected official in northwest England prior to becoming an MP. Christina McAnea, the Unison general secretary, said: “A wealth tax would be a much fairer way of raising revenue to invest in public services and grow the economy.” Listening to and reading their outpourings, you do have to wonder what planet they live on; which bit of a globally connected world – in which countries (including those Western countries Kinnock refers to, which have seen asset values soar and incomes stagnate) fall over themselves to attract foreign investors – they do not understand. Those nations know their money generates prosperity and jobs. Which is another way of saying economic growth."
"The evidence of rich folks voting with their feet and departing these shores is mounting by the day. Mostly they are non-doms, already a Labour target, but by no means all. One London restaurateur is nursing a 30 per cent drop in takings since Rachel Reeves delivered her first Budget. He says that is not the result of smaller plates, and weight-conscious diners eating less thanks to Ozempic, but of their having gone, leaving empty tables in their wake."
icowden
Shaman
Not that interesting. It's an opinion piece and is once again basing facts on that very dubious Henley and Partners report.
Given the journalistic excellence on display I think we can ignore it.
£200k out of £10 million is annoying but not, I think, a deal breaker. Countries that have wealth taxes are not turning into 3rd world pools of mire. Norway, Spain and Switzerland don't appear to have created a problem with net wealth taxes and Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands also all have wealth taxes of one sort or another.
I don't think it's ever been tried, and we have to try something. Maybe it's worth a go - it can always be reversed.
First Aspect
Senior Member
Love the part where a restaurateur has a handle on emigration demographics. His high end place probably has 15 covers, which counts as data, not anecdote.
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CXRAndy
Legendary Member
Stevo 666
Senior Member
Keep your head in the sand and keep ignoring the mounting evidence. It is a small minority of countries that have wealth taxes as your short list demonstrates - do you wonder why that is? And you list should be even shorter as some of the countries you list do not impose wealth taxes:
https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/eu/wealth-taxes-europe-2024/
And as for Labour imposing a tax and then reversing it? Really?
Stevo 666
Senior Member
Really? Here we go again with those poor junior doctors asking for a hike on top of the 22% they got very recently.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cren3l8nj8wo
Clearly very successful, this chucking money at unionised workers...
Pblakeney
Well-Known Member
If you don't see his posts does he even exist?
icowden
Shaman
It's almost as if they have been farked over for 17 years.
In 2008 a Junior Doctor's salary was £32,082 rising to £35,790. In 2025 a Junior Doctor's salary is £36,616 rising to £42,008.
£32082 in 2008 would be £52,408 today rising to £58,465.48
That's a difference in pay of £16,000 per annum. We need doctors. It's a highly skilled job. We should be paying them properly.
Now to be fair, it does look like the BMA have jumped the gun as the the 2025/2026 pay deal will see average basic pay for a resident doctor reaching £54,300 in 2025-26, but that is for a 3rd year (CT1-2 banded student)
CXRAndy
Legendary Member
First Aspect
Senior Member
Yeah the numbers are the numbers, but going on strike just after you e agreed a pay deal is fairly idiotic. They won't win, they shouldn't win. Pay has eroded, yes, but they aren't unique in that. Mine has too. I think I'll go ask my boss for a 30% rise.
