Posted by Hari on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 with 1 comment | Labels: Austerity, benefits, budget cuts, education, elections, inequality, NHS, taxation
SOURCE British Social Attitudes (BSA) Survey
Every British Social Attitudes survey since the first one in
1983 has asked respondents to say which one of three options they would want
government to pick if it had to choose between them: Reduce taxes and spend
less on health, education and social benefits; Keep taxes and spending on these
services at the same level as now; Increase taxes and spend more on health,
education and social benefits. As the Government spending and welfare chapter
shows, the first of these options has in fact never been particularly popular,
with no more than nine per cent ever choosing it. Opinion has for the most part
simply shifted between keeping taxes and spending as they are and increasing
them.
Welcome to read this. Seems apposite!
ReplyDeletehttp://paperblogwriter49.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/policies-for-labour-to-reduce-inequality.html Or in full:
s it not perfectly conceivable that Labour, getting the inevitable "wake-up call" after its hammering in the Euro elections, adopts policies for which the majority of the country clearly craves? A sliding scale of income tax, with 45% for £70-149K earners, 50% for £150-200K, 60% for £200-250K, stopping at 80%, would not seem unreasonable to the majority of people in this country; even under Thatcher, the rich paid 60% income tax. Support for a Tobin-type tax on financial transactions, joining with the majority of the EU on this, would be popular, as would increasing the minimum wage to living wage levels, and promising legislation to introduce Co-determination, on lines similar to its use in Germany, with trade union representatives on company boards. Whilst nationalisation on a large scale will not happen, a proposal for a state-owned bank and energy company could attract customers with more attractive rates, simply by having 3% profit margins rather than the 5+% of the private sector, and thereby force a change of tune from existing providers. The millions paying a high proportion of their income to profiteering landlords would welcome their rents being capped at 2010 levels, and also the introduction of an Ofsted-style inspection authority, to ensure rents are fair and properties well maintained.