Budget 2015 - A budget of no consequence.

CLAPTON

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

Quite - in Balls' discussion with the BBC afterwards, he said that the Conservatives were "bound" to raise VAT. They just lie, talk over everyone, talk louder than anyone else. I actually hate them!


This will be the mantra "They are bound to do something...". And if they say it enough times, people will believe that it will happen.

well, of course Dave and George did say (many times) before the last election, that they had no plans to increase VAT.

if you say something often enough, people may believe you.

.string.

CLAPTON wrote: »

well, of course Dave and George did say (many times) before the last election, that they had no plans to increase VAT.

if you say something often enough, people may believe you.

"Having no Plans" is often a euphemism for meaning "we may do it but have not actually done the planning yet".

But I can't honestly take the Tories to task on that one, they must have had a bit of a shock when they realised how big the UK financial problem really was.

CLAPTON

.string. wrote: »

"Having no Plans" is often a euphemism for meaning "we may do it but have not actually done the planning yet".

But I can't honestly take the Tories to task on that one, they must have had a bit of a shock when they realised how big the UK financial problem really was.

don't be ridiculous; the situation was well known at the time : in fact by the time the election was over the debt and deficit was slightly less than forecast.
they then changed their line from the size of the debt and deficit to nonsense about the structural deficit.

in any event, virtually everyone at the time, believed that a VAT increase would have occurred who ever got into power at the time.

patman99

All the self-employed I know pay Class 1NI anyway. So this won't affect them.

The 'Google' tax will hit Tesco really hard as 90% of it's stores are 'owned' by a Caymen Island-based subsiduary in order to save it huge amount off it's Tax bill..

Cyberman60

CLAPTON wrote: »

well, of course Dave and George did say (many times) before the last election, that they had no plans to increase VAT.

if you say something often enough, people may believe you.

Indeed, but their plans were put into disarray by the realisation of the huge deficit of 160 Billion which has 'merely' been halved. On top of that it is a Coalition !!! :rotfl:

Cyberman60

CLAPTON wrote: »

don't be ridiculous; the situation was well known at the time : in fact by the time the election was over the debt and deficit was slightly less than forecast.
they then changed their line from the size of the debt and deficit to nonsense about the structural deficit.

in any event, virtually everyone at the time, believed that a VAT increase would have occurred who ever got into power at the time.

The Coalition didn't know the full scale of PFI, the 35 Billion black hole in the MOD etc until they'd inspected the books, although they had a clue with Chris Bryant's little note on the Treasury desk saying 'there is no money left' . Brown kept so much debt hidden off the books in order to massage the figures over the 13 years, so to say otherwise is downright disingenuous.

.string.

@Clapton --- Why ridiculous? (and why be rude?) - no new Government can know the nitty gritty until they have the access that being in Government brings.

In the overall context it is interesting to read of this again -- General election 2010: VAT rise is a risk under Labour.

At the time I suppose most thought (I would include myself) this was all electioneering nonsenses; now, being wise after the event, it looks like all three parties were thinking of having to raise VAT.

BobQ

michaels wrote: »

Hmm - large boost to public spending in the final year of the next parliament - I wonder if there is a big NHS spending announcement coming up in the 'and finally' section of the budget?

What he is saying is that if they can scrape back in this time they will follow the same plan, misery for all but the few for 4 years and then 1 year of talking it all up so as to get re-elected

BobQ

Funny if Labour had a policy of a few small give-aways funded by a tax on the banks, I imagine the Tories would say how typical of Labour to bash the banks.

antrobus

BobQ wrote: »

What he is saying is that if they can scrape back in this time they will follow the same plan, misery for all but the few for 4 years and then 1 year of talking it all up so as to get re-elected

Well, it worked for Blair a couple of times.