We need a 200% tax!

Radiantsoul

kabayiri wrote: »

Apologies for a tangential post (oops!), but I think there are many ways we can bring additional revenue (and work) back to the local economy.

We could build lots of pyramids like the ancient egyptians did. Would reduce unskilled unemployment. Would require few imports. Would probably boost tourism too.

John_Pierpoint

50% Tax???????????????
What does the public sector "produce", seeing as it spends about half our money:
Education (because it is free it is not appreciated, woops I'm forgetting the IPOD generation and their student loans).
Health care (no longer free but an interesting massive employer).
Personal property and personal security (are our policemen still wonderful).
Highway maintenance.
TV & Radio programmes.
Can someone continue the list, I'm starting to run out.

John

Ah I know "External security" - ie guns bombs and other hardware.

kabayiri

Radiantsoul wrote: »

We could build lots of pyramids like the ancient egyptians did. Would reduce unskilled unemployment. Would require few imports. Would probably boost tourism too.

:rotfl:
I daren't mention the fact that Stockport already has a pyramid.

We are ahead of the game mate!

misskool

good good, reduce competition and dis-incentivise producers to manufacture finest goods. as long as they produce something workable, the home market will buy it. Doesn't matter that they can't export it or the export is a laughing stock worldwide.

Dave101t

im not going to list all the reasons why thats the stupidest idea ive heard today, but those adults among us will know.

JasonLVC

Our manufacturing is declining becuase it just costs too much to make anything here (accepting this is a generalist sweeping statement of course).

Rather than increase the cost of products coming into the UK we should be reducing the cost of our exports out of the UK and controlling inflation, pay rises, cost of living, etc.

We'd rather buy a cheap CD player from China costing £10 than buying a fancy premium product made in the UK but which costs £500 (I'm thinking of the likes of Arcam players which cost a fortune).

The European Community already acts as a barrier against cheap foreign imports, agreeing duty and tarrifs on specific items to keep a balance, the US also imposes duties and tarrifs on 'far eastern' products to minimise the loss of domestic trade.

ILW

JasonLVC wrote: »

Our manufacturing is declining becuase it just costs too much to make anything here (accepting this is a generalist sweeping statement of course).

Rather than increase the cost of products coming into the UK we should be reducing the cost of our exports out of the UK and controlling inflation, pay rises, cost of living, etc.

We'd rather buy a cheap CD player from China costing £10 than buying a fancy premium product made in the UK but which costs £500 (I'm thinking of the likes of Arcam players which cost a fortune).

The European Community already acts as a barrier against cheap foreign imports, agreeing duty and tarrifs on specific items to keep a balance, the US also imposes duties and tarrifs on 'far eastern' products to minimise the loss of domestic trade.

I believe that arguement does fall down in the car industry. People do not buy purely on price, as the demand for premium brands such as Mercedes and BMW shows. Trouble with the british car industry is that it seems to produce pretty poor quality products for what they cost. As for as electronics go, we can produce very good high end products which sell well all over the world.

JasonLVC

ILW wrote: »

I believe that arguement does fall down in the car industry. People do not buy purely on price, as the demand for premium brands such as Mercedes and BMW shows. Trouble with the british car industry is that it seems to produce pretty poor quality products for what they cost. As for as electronics go, we can produce very good high end products which sell well all over the world.

The UK does seem to be good at producing premium products to export, but doesn't do so well at cheaper products for the domestic market.

We do make good quality cars....Jaguar, Range Rover, Aston Martin....but they are out of reach for the common UK customer with most production going overseas....but these are all small production runs whereas the cheaper, bulk end is made up of Citroen/Peugeot/Renault which are all made elsewhere and not all Nissan and Ford models are built in the UK either. The top selling Ford Fiesta is made in Spain/Portugal.

Same with Hi-Fi's, we make good top range stuff but the average punter will buy what they see in Asda so our money goes to the foreign import.

Buy british will never work as it just costs too much to 'buy' British.

Old_Slaphead

Working for a manufacturing business, we struggle to keep our costs under control (high electricity, insurance, NI, safety and regulation costs don't help) accordingly, to remain competitive and provide ongoing local employment we can only afford to pay shop floor workers around minimum wages - or just above.

We find many of our staff prefer to do manual-type jobs in the public sector which receive much better pay and benefits.

This government only seems interested in public sector jobs and fawning to the financial sector rather than investing in real employment.

carolt

Protectionism has been proved not to work time and again. Either for the individual country or the global economy.

However, there is plenty the govt should do to encourage entrepreneurs and manufacturing - much more than it does do. Business support is currently very poor.