'What should I ask George Osborne? Question suggestions wanted.' blog discussion

antonia1

What will he do to help redress the balance in favour of those who are trying to deal with their debts? The system seems to favour those who keep getting into more and more debt and then get it written off. Surely the help for those wanting to repay their debts at a fair and sustainable level should outweight the help for those who want to walk away from debts.

patashoo

Some pensioners are very well off and yet they are entitled to many concessions. People on Income Support, are definately not well off and yet get very liitle in the way of concessions. Why can't they get cheaper or free bus travel for example?

joshp_2

I would like you to tackle him on the reason why Armed Forces personnel serving outside of the UK for more than 6 months of the year are still paying tax on their wages? Do not let him get away with saying that they receive other benefits, as these are also taxed!

jab627

What are the Tory plans in the Finance Bill with regard to the ABOLITION OF THE FURNISHED HOLIDAY LETTING TAX RULES?
This is being proposed (to bring us in line with the EU) & will potentially damage the tourism industry in the UK. The Treasury say it will damage it by just £20m but estimates suggest it is nearer to £200m with a loss of 4,500 jobs in rural & seaside economies (mostly in the South West, Scotland, Wales & the North East).

K8ee

Perhaps a fairer way to work out income tax would be to divide the pay by the number of hours required to get it, and then tax on the hourly rate. Then those who have to work long hours to get a reasonable salary won't be penalised quite so much, and those who earn it easily, lose it easily too.

John47

Ask George Osborne, if the Conservative Party get elected, 'Who is going to pay for the mess that the bankers have got us into and in what way will the person on average earnings be affected?'

kevo4

Please could you ask Goorge Osborne whether he will allow SIPPS to purchase residential property. Surely we should be able to do so and make our own decisions on how to invest

dennismc

Hi Martin,

I would like you to ask him do the Conservatives really propose to allow a two tier pension system to go ahead from April. It will mean that someone such as my wife, who has 24 qualifying years will get approx £20 per week less than someone with the same number of years about to receive their pension under the 30 years for a full pension rules. I do not reach pension age until 2012 and I had 47 qualifying years but my record now shows 30 years, what has Brown done with my now missing 17 years contributions. I hope the Conservatives will rectify this as soon as they are elected, we are in the 21st Century and already have the worst payable pensions in Europe, all the Politicians should remember there are 14 million pensioners and they will all make their voices heard on 6Th May

Thank you Martin, I hope you are able to ask this important question.

harryhound

oxfordguy wrote: »

Gideon Osbourne

1. With the economy still fragile, it could be that the markets are only confident enough not to bolt so long as Gordon Brown is in charge. You and David Cameron say you will instantly launch a massive economic experiment on being elected, hacking away savagely at the crutches that still support the economy - and yet you have almost no economic training between you, you made the wrong choice about supporting the banks, and the markets might cut and run the moment you gain power simply because they have no confidence in you to hold it together. Shouldn't you simply withdraw from the election for the good of the country?

I'm under the impression that a massive economic experiment is under way at the moment - It is called Quantitive Easing and it has debased our currency and seems to be stoking up the overblown housing market again.
Meanwhile our balance of payments is still stuck on the down slope of an ever expanding "J" curve.

Bluecaster

As an employer for many years (now retired) it was impossible to get people for a job lasting only one or two days. There were people wanting to work and wanting the money but we all knew that if they worked more than 16 hours virtually all their allowances would be stopped, leaving them far worse off. Could the government introduce a scheme whereby work could gradually replace allowances?
This would also benefit those returning from serious illness, where full-time work is not possible but a graduated return would be.