Budget Demands and Shame

If Osborne is going to cut the 50p tax rate he should cut it out altogether rather than reduce it to 45p. Better to be hung as a sheep than a lamb and the reduction to 45p will be seen as an irritating halfway house arrived at in part through fear rather than as a clearcut statement against Brown's purely political increase in the tax rate at the end of his term - something to stuff the Tories with. Labour know that this was the reason for the Brown increase and that its usefulness in raising revenue is nil and possibly a factor in revenue falling as I'm sure Osborne's commissioned research into the 50p effectiveness will show. With  Labour vacillating about whether they would oppose the reduction or reverse it Osborne should go for the jugular. Osborne, despite Tim Montgomerie's desire for a Mansion Tax, should have nothing to do with it.  Where is someone without the income going to find the money to pay for this tax on his/her mansion? They would be forced either to borrow to pay it or to sell their house. That is an outrageous outcome making the tax confiscation or theft rather than a supportable proposition. Osborne should have nothing to do with a Tycoon tax either, nor should he increase the Non-Dom tax both of which would see many of our successful entrepreneurs and Non-Doms leave these shores for less tax greedy ones. There has already been a flight of Non-Doms following the introduction of the Non-Dom tax. We want as many Tycoons and Non-Doms living here since they not only pay taxes but more importantly spend their money in our shops, employ people directly and indirectly and are otherwise a Good Thing. Osborne should though increase the amount at which individuals pay tax and reduce the fuel duty. To pay for these he should withdraw the subsidy paid to windfarms and for solar panels, confirm he is going to stop national pay settlements, reform the planning laws and cut all manner of regulation. There should be an attack on EU regulation as well. Let's show some backbone and stick up for ourselves and let's get rid of the awful Ashton and replace her with someone who will think a little more before opening her mouth about the tragedy in Toulouse. The Israelis have every right to be upset by the statement she made. As Downing Street well knows she made no reference to Israeli children killed by Palestinians. She mentions the murdered Jewish children in Toulouse, the Belgian children killed in the bus accident and children killed in Gaza as a result of retaliatory action taken by Israel but not the Israeli children murdered by Palestinians. Shame on her and on us for supporting her.

UPDATE: Apologies to Ashton. Apparently in her speech she did also refer to the deaths of Israeli children as well as those of Palestinian children in Gaza. The transcript of her speech however omits the reference to the Israeli children and for that she must take the blame.