The press in recent days have trampled over the Brown premiership and left Labour damaged., Alistair Darling, the chancellor is expected to try and regain the political ground by announcements over Inheritance Tax and private equity on overseas business men. Yes he should chase the latter, however if he bottles it and swings inheritance tax in favour of the rich, then he will have shown great weakness, and i for one would lose the respect that he and Brown had gained from me since taking over from Tony Blair.
"The Death Tax"
Inheritance tax should never be scrapped in the short term for opinion poll votes, in favour of long term poverty. If Labour scrapped the progressive tax and it's agenda which it set out at the last budget it will not help as Brown is damaged over this already, he should be instead be showing the public tomorrow how a progressive Britain moves forward with a redistribution that as he liked to say "gives every child a future" and not just the ones who inherit wealth. Maybe the level of such tax should be raised but by no more than £50,000, this would safe guard the aspirational working/middle classes who could at some point if house prices continue to spiral, fall under such a tax.
Tory Spin
The facts are that it affects 6%, the Tory tax plans DON'T give the middle classes some breathing space, they basically take from the very rich, to give to the fairly rich. That's Tory redistribution for you, a pathetic attempt at tackling an issue that would be nothing without the media who build it up with words such as "Death Tax" and wheel out some old granny who apparently will be effected, but who disappears from the radar, political communication at it's very worse.
"Progressive Taxes"
These taxes, while they don't affect 94% of people, pay for many a service which the people who are in the highest 6% enjoyed. Many of the people who are now entering the retirement age never had it so good, especially the affluent and well off. The youngsters of the current generation are paying taxes that are at the highest levels, and money from these are being fed into a state pension scheme which they are likely never to benefit from. How can this possibly seem fair? It isn't, and that is why inheritance tax should remain at a certain level so not to tax the aspirational working/middle classes, but also to bring money back for the economy that funded them throughout most of their lives.
Serious About Leading
If Labour is serious about giving every child a chance, and remember this was Brown's statement, whilst the Tory conference was all about an "Election" and policies that bring on unfair tax systems, then Darling will not heed to this short term idea, if he does he will lose some of the party and along with it he will give the Tories a stick in which to smack Labour down.
"The Death Tax"
Inheritance tax should never be scrapped in the short term for opinion poll votes, in favour of long term poverty. If Labour scrapped the progressive tax and it's agenda which it set out at the last budget it will not help as Brown is damaged over this already, he should be instead be showing the public tomorrow how a progressive Britain moves forward with a redistribution that as he liked to say "gives every child a future" and not just the ones who inherit wealth. Maybe the level of such tax should be raised but by no more than £50,000, this would safe guard the aspirational working/middle classes who could at some point if house prices continue to spiral, fall under such a tax.
Tory Spin
The facts are that it affects 6%, the Tory tax plans DON'T give the middle classes some breathing space, they basically take from the very rich, to give to the fairly rich. That's Tory redistribution for you, a pathetic attempt at tackling an issue that would be nothing without the media who build it up with words such as "Death Tax" and wheel out some old granny who apparently will be effected, but who disappears from the radar, political communication at it's very worse.
"Progressive Taxes"
These taxes, while they don't affect 94% of people, pay for many a service which the people who are in the highest 6% enjoyed. Many of the people who are now entering the retirement age never had it so good, especially the affluent and well off. The youngsters of the current generation are paying taxes that are at the highest levels, and money from these are being fed into a state pension scheme which they are likely never to benefit from. How can this possibly seem fair? It isn't, and that is why inheritance tax should remain at a certain level so not to tax the aspirational working/middle classes, but also to bring money back for the economy that funded them throughout most of their lives.
Serious About Leading
If Labour is serious about giving every child a chance, and remember this was Brown's statement, whilst the Tory conference was all about an "Election" and policies that bring on unfair tax systems, then Darling will not heed to this short term idea, if he does he will lose some of the party and along with it he will give the Tories a stick in which to smack Labour down.
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