Budget Options

[pinkfluffyclouds]

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=13704
Oh my goodness....... Same old story lets bleed the middle earning families. Looks like I might have to sell my children now to make ends meet !!

[GMR]

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=13704
Oh my goodness....... Same old story lets bleed the middle earning families. Looks like I might have to sell my children now to make ends meet !!

Well, we know who to blame; the banks and the labour party.

[x2lls]

Well, we know who to blame; the banks and the labour party.

We are always left broke after a labour goverment.

[TallDarkAndHands...]

We are always left broke after a labour goverment.

To be honest. I was quite happy with the budget. We knew it was going to be painful and at least he did not touch income tax. Personally, I can do without a 4th TV for a year or two and I can cut back on the DVDs etc. I also like the fact that he is tackling the benefits system. It was bloated and out of control. Benefits where it is needed yes. Benefits because you can't be bothered to get up in the Morning or because you have a breeding program of epic proportions. No.

[Ozzy]

The middle class should get a benefit for just being ripped to shreds over the past years!

[Jayjay]

Well, we know who to blame; the banks and the labour party.

No, the gullible voters who believed Con/Lib when they said they would not raise VAT.

[Iommi]

No, the gullible voters who believed Con/Lib when they said they would not raise VAT.

No party committed to not raising VAT. they all would have done, it was just a matter of degree.

[Biker1]

No, the gullible voters who believed Con/Lib when they said they would not raise VAT.

All they said in the run up to the election was "we have no plans to raise VAT"

I remember Cameron being pressed by Paxman on whether they would raise VAT and this was his persistent reply.
Clever eh?

Of course they DID have plans to raise it but, as has already been said, we are the gullible voters.

I think it would have gone up whoever was elected.

(Except maybe UKIP or the BNP! )

[JeffG]

(Except maybe UKIP or the BNP! )

I know that was a joke, but why wouldn't they increase VAT?

Some are saying that an increase in VAT would hit the poor and the elderly more than others, but since a large proportion of their spending would be on zero-rated food in any case, I don't see how that claim stands up.

[Biker1]

I know that was a joke, but why wouldn't they increase VAT?

Some are saying that an increase in VAT would hit the poor and the elderly more than others, but since a large proportion of their spending would be on zero-rated food in any case, I don't see how that claim stands up.

I don't know actually as I didn't read either manifesto in depth.

I just surmised that the more far right parties would hit spending more (especially on welfare) rather than increase taxes.

[Jayjay]

I know that was a joke, but why wouldn't they increase VAT?

Some are saying that an increase in VAT would hit the poor and the elderly more than others, but since a large proportion of their spending would be on zero-rated food in any case, I don't see how that claim stands up.

Food is indeed zero rated, but how do you think it gets to the supermarket? The cost of vehicles will increase and so will petrol, ergo zero rated products increase.

[Jayjay]

All they said in the run up to the election was "we have no plans to raise VAT"

I remember Cameron being pressed by Paxman on whether they would raise VAT and this was his persistent reply.
Clever eh?

Of course they DID have plans to raise it but, as has already been said, we are the gullible voters.

I think it would have gone up whoever was elected.

(Except maybe UKIP or the BNP! )

"We will not have to raise VAT to deliver our promises...Let me repeat that: Our plans do not require a rise in VAT". Clegg, 8/4/10.

"Our plans don't involve an increase in VAT," Cameron 1/4/10 Sky News.

[Biker1]

"We will not have to raise VAT to deliver our promises...Let me repeat that: Our plans do not require a rise in VAT". Clegg, 8/4/10.

"Our plans don't involve an increase in VAT," Cameron 1/4/10 Sky News.

[Iommi]

"We will not have to raise VAT to deliver our promises...Let me repeat that: Our plans do not require a rise in VAT". Clegg, 8/4/10. "Our plans don't involve an increase in VAT," Cameron 1/4/10 Sky News.

None of the main parties' manifesto commitments were fully costed, they all had financial voids. To have voted according to the parties' ambiguous statements on VAT would have been being naive.

[x2lls]

"We will not have to raise VAT to deliver our promises...Let me repeat that: Our plans do not require a rise in VAT". Clegg, 8/4/10.

"Our plans don't involve an increase in VAT," Cameron 1/4/10 Sky News.

That may well have been the case, but, it wouldn't have been until they got into power that they had a real chance to see the books. The promises were simply to get there.

[Bloggo]

From my perspective the budget was fine. Yes, we all have to suffer to varying degrees but at least you can see that it needs to be done.
VAT would have increased no matter who had won the election and it's a fair tax in the circumstances.

[Iommi]

...and it's a fair tax in the circumstances.

I'd say it is more of an effective tax, than a fair tax.

[Jayjay]

That may well have been the case, but, it wouldn't have been until they got into power that they had a real chance to see the books. The promises were simply to get there.

So make a promise to get something when you have no intention of keeping that promise. That is what most people call lying.

[Iommi]

So make a promise to get something when you have no intention of keeping that promise. That is what most people call lying.

They didn't promise. They didn't say they would not put VAT up. Blair once said they had legislated against tuition fees. A while later, we have tuition fees.

Due to the fickle nature of the electorate, politicians are 'forced' to speak ambiguously. All the main parties' manifestos were costed and they all didn't add up. A VAT increase was inevitable.

[Bloggo]

So make a promise to get something when you have no intention of keeping that promise. That is what most people call lying.

And that is what every UK Government has done for as long as I can remember.
Don't you think that Labour has dished out a pack of lies, half-truths and deliberate mis-leading statements over the past 13 years?