^OPM^

I have never got the reasoning behind the logic that someone who earns above a certain limit should pay a higher rate tax, why can't folk all pay same rate.

At end of day if you all pay 20% tax, then if you earn (ignoring personal allowances for simplicity) -

20 grand a year you pay 4 grand tax a year
100 grand a year you pay 20 grand a year tax
and so on....

Simples and you're rich pay more that way as 20% of a higher gross wage is more.Why do they have to pay a higher rate. Just never got the reasoning behind they are wealthy and should contribute more, THEY WOULD even in my method.

Or is it too simple, and before you ask I am not a higher rate taxpayer or very much doubt I ever will be.

zip106

Would be a fair way to pay, I agree.

paulr

If I can find it.

warrenm2

And while you're at it, pull up the proof that power companies are closing power stations because of overcapacity. Did you read it the Socialist Workers Party news(bog)paper, or maybe in Morning Star?

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Because 16K a year is not easy to live on whereas 80k a year is! It's called a democracy where those more fortunate (for want of a better word) should help out those less fortunate!

What I do find pecualiar and this is something I have noticed throghout my life is the most generous people I have ever met have by and large been the less well off and the meanest people I have ever met have generally been very well off!

paulr

An independant energy advisor on channel 4.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

I'm no expert, but wouldn't it be better if perhaps people earning under £25k (average income the last time I heard) didn't pay income tax, those over paid a flat rate of say 20%. Maybe that would encourage those earning more not to avoid paying their share, and stimulate the economy along the way as the lower earners would have more disposable income to spend? Those sub £25k would still be paying into the pot, just via different forms of taxation.

warrenm2

Well you've either mis-remembered or he is a clueless shill. The real reason why plants are closing is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Combustion_Plant_Directive

Dingdongler

I'd very much be in favour of more people not paying tax at all, perhaps not £25k but at least £15k a year. There are not many things I'd be happy to pay more tax for but I would to support that policy.

It must be the best way to help lower earners rather than tax them and then hand some of it back in tax credits, child benefit, housing benefit etc

trails

iTrader: (41)

Hmmm, how much of that is due to checking your payslip and feeling like you are being kicked in the nuts everytime you look at the deductions versus take home

cster

Personal bias?

RA Dunk

I bet people o. 26K would be well pi$$ed off, they would be worse of than people on 25k

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

+1, never understood the tax with one hand, give back with the other thing!

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Yours or mine?

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

To be fair trails when I say well off in that context I am not talking about the sort of people who need to check a wage slip or who even have a wage slip! ot people who earn £80K ... people who have way more than that!

trails

iTrader: (41)

everybody gets a wage slip Chris...and it's not necessity that makes you check it; it's a form of masochism

Type20Paul

It's nothing to do with democracy - it's socialism.

Your later point I have seen at times too, however I also know some very well off and extremely generous people too. Is it a consideration that some of those very well off people are perhaps driven to being more 'mean' by the irritation of having to finance, for example, career benefit families? Personally I have no issue in paying tax that supports those less fortunate in life through illness, disability etc. I have a massive issue with supporting the lazy and those who choose to reproduce without the finances in place to support children. And like it or not, this country spends millions each year supporting people who simply cannot be bothered to work and who believe that the world owes them - it doesn't!

Up the basic earnings before tax to £15k and then tax everyone 1/3rd on everything after that - no national insurance and tax, just one simple payment whether you are on 25k or a 125k. That's fair. Working hard to be taxed more isn't and if you have a tax system as simple as that then I bet you will find a massive decrease in people using various tax dodging methods.

Type20Paul

And on Ed - what the hell was his speech like yesterday?! I've listened to some bad speeches from party leaders before but that one was a classic. This sums it up nicely - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...scription.html
You are a hero for being from 'up north'! - Classic!

trails

iTrader: (41)

the media have made a point of the fact he didn't use notes\auto-cue...friends

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

No they wouldn't. Taxation would work the same as now, so their first 25k would be theirs, anything over would be taxed at 20%.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

The only reason I suggested £25k was because it gets mentioned as being a living/average wage. Certainly in the south £15k earnings isn't a lot to live on (it's not particularly good in the north), to leave much 'spare' to pump back into the economy through spending.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

They arent; they are closing/mothballing them for two reasons:
The fuel they use is now too dear, (gas...thanks Thatcher),

and because the power station would cost too much to get it up to new emissions regulations, (thanks EC and Lying Labour).

Meanwhile, the wind-turbines will porivide all the electricity we need...oh...wait...

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

No it's not. Socialism is something completely different. If it were socialism it would hardly be a model supported by the likes of the Conservative Party yet it is supported.

If a party stood and said all taxation will be at 25% across the board they woudl not get elected. Equally if a party stood and said anyone earning less than £25K will pay nothing and anyone over will pay 50% they would not get elected. Parties supportig a sliding sclae of taxation where the less well off pay a little tax and as you earn more you pay more (percentage wise) get elected. All they do is move the slider around a bit from time to time.

In our democratically elected society the majority of the electorate support that basic model!

It's the same thing where we all support paying for education and health care even though some of us use it a lot less than others! For insatnce I have no kids, next door have 4 .... yet we both pay the same basic taxaton level even though I will never use the education system and they will! If I didn't like that model I could vote for a party that stands againest it, but the majority of us do so we elect parties that support it!

Socailism is far more reaching than the above, but of course I am talking about real socialism not what people think is socialism which these days seems to equate to giving lazy scum money.... that has very little to do with socialism, not that I expect SN NSR to grasp that any time soon!

paulr

http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/52...x-system-fair/


Income tax is only 30% of all tax revenue.

^Qwerty^

Specifically the one and only Millipede himself. Isn’t he the ***** who signed on the dotted line which is going to turn the lights out?

Type20Paul

OK, not socialism, but nothing whatsoever to do with democracy either. I'd call it living in a society with a social conscience.

I suspect there are some key points there that you would find rather hard to backup. Even the notion that the majority of the electorate support a sliding tax scale. I recall an episode of question time or similar when tax was discussed and at the time one of the parties (UKIP or BNP or some similar party I have no interest in) had proposed a flat 30ish % tax across the board and it was about the only thing the party representative said all night that was popular. However I suspect you don't have any more evidence to backup your statement than I do to disagree - I go only on what I have established speaking to friends and family.

Martin2005

The problem with this is that the rate at which people would need to be taxed at would have to go up sharply. So it wouldn't be 0% under £25k and 20% on everything over, it would be more like 35%.

I'm not entirely opposed to flat taxes, but it would never be at 20%, so an awful lot of people are going to end up an awful lot worse off!

Martin2005

I disagree. I think he did well (given low expectations)

Be careful with the media, they have the knives out for him for his opposition on phone hacking

Dingdongler

Actually I think that Telegraph sketch sums up his speech perfectly. His constant use of 'friends', 'race to the top' and 'Britain can do better' just made me cringe. It was horrid.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Well perhaps Ding was right to have it set at £15k, maybe I was being too optimistic??