http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17456712 listen/watch that

and then listen to this at the same time http://www.buzzfm.net/index.php

Unfortunately a lot of hot air on the A side (Conservatives), with not much actual content and boring as hell. I watched it.

On side B (Labour) they did a lot of shouting, as expected, to very little effect.

I don't think it's going to do much for this country at all. Resetting VAT to 17.5% would have been better than the increase in personal tax allowance IMO.

Smokers got a kicking, but not much other change from what I can see.

Child benefit is now taken away at 60k instead of 42k which is probably slightly better but they didn't fix the single earner vs household income issue with it.

I assume the raise in low tax threshold makes everyone better off, not sure it was necessary.

Raising personal tax allowance is a good thing because it does benefit everyone. Changing the VAT rate wouldn't achieve much to be honest, much like it made sod all difference changing it in the first place.

Beer going up 5p+ a pint is a massive kick in the teeth for the industry

Quote from: Clock'd 0Ne on March 21, 2012, 15:58:21 PM
Raising personal tax allowance is a good thing because it does benefit everyone. Changing the VAT rate wouldn't achieve much to be honest, much like it made sod all difference changing it in the first place.

It does not affect anyone already under the limit, so someone on 8K a year wouldn't get a penny extra. The same is true with unemployed/sick/pensioners. High VAT low income tax benefits those at higher levels more than lower as they buy less that they would pay VAT on.

Quote from: Serious on March 21, 2012, 17:49:42 PM

Quote from: Clock'd 0Ne on March 21, 2012, 15:58:21 PM
Raising personal tax allowance is a good thing because it does benefit everyone. Changing the VAT rate wouldn't achieve much to be honest, much like it made sod all difference changing it in the first place.

It does not affect anyone already under the limit, so someone on 8K a year wouldn't get a penny extra. The same is true with unemployed/sick/pensioners. High VAT low income tax benefits those at higher levels more than lower as they buy less that they would pay VAT on.

I just wonder what it costs all of the UK companies to change the VAT rate, we need a load of people and re-printing of of countless materials and a load of other expenses..

It costs a hell of a lot of money changing the VAT over, businesses are the ones that need to be looked after and the average Joe needs to get used to cutting corners and spending less, the free-ride days are gone and it's time for some real conservatism.

More tax on beer though, after all these sly cuts on ABV too

The last real conservative PM was Heath, Thatcher certainly wasn't, neither was any of the muppets who followed her. Michael Heseltine could have been but was blocked by Thatcher and hated by others after her downfall.

It also costs business if they have to add an extra 2.5% to prices that are already high. Then some can't add the 2.5% easily, such as pound shops.

Quote from: addictweb on March 21, 2012, 14:32:38 PM
Child benefit is now taken away at 60k instead of 42k which is probably slightly better but they didn't fix the single earner vs household income issue with it.

Not sure they needed to 'fix' that issue. Like a single parent on 60k also pays 4k more in income tax and NI than a couple earning 30k each but people are worried about them not qualifying for a 'benefit' (which lets face it is essentially a tax deduction in the form of some cash back) of circa 1k.

Quote from: Clock'd 0Ne on March 21, 2012, 21:14:59 PM
It costs a hell of a lot of money changing the VAT over, businesses are the ones that need to be looked after and the average Joe needs to get used to cutting corners and spending less, the free-ride days are gone and it's time for some real conservatism.

More tax on beer though, after all these sly cuts on ABV too

It's never the time for conservatism. Conservatism is at best an obsolete concept that has no place in the 21st century, at worst a potentially dangerous political philosophy that is damaging to society.

I just realised I put conservatism which wasn't the right term at all, at least not that broad. Fiscal conservatism. But you think LibLab is the way forward?

Labour was starting to sort out the problems, but the change in government dumped us back into the mess. Too much, too early. Osbourne is known for coming from a family of gamblers, he's gambling with your livelihood. Overall I don't think either 'far left labour' or 'large C Conservatism' are good for the country. The best options we have are more middle of the road.

QuoteIt will lead to 4.4m pensioners being an average £83 a year worse off than they would have been, the HMRC says.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17469252

Quotethe picture for the budget and the economy is still pretty bleak.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17465088

Quotethe Treasury's own figures claim to show that, while everyone is a loser, the people hit hardest by the Budget changes are Britain's very poorest and very richest.

But that does not include the 5% tax cut. That allegedly can't be factored in easily. Assuming it gives them a boost of just 2% then that would put them about even - the rich win.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17461047

Really what Osbourne was saying is 'if we give them a tax cut they will suddenly become more truthful and pay more'. Umm, not a chance in hell you muppet.

BTW: A person who smokes 20 cigs a day will be over £90 worse off in the next year.

Oh and cigar tax rises will be pretty much the same jump as cigarettes.

Some would argue that the Conservatives always have to pick up the pieces of Labour's failed mess...

Personally, I don't think any of the parties are any good. Biblical showers of sh*te, the lot of them, which is why I don't vote.

Quote from: Clock'd 0Ne on March 22, 2012, 12:14:47 PM
Personally, I don't think any of the parties are any good. Biblical showers of sh*te, the lot of them, which is why I don't vote.

Likewise, and I dunno about anyone else I smoke so few cigars I year I just stock up when I go abroad.