Level the playing field on taxes, and points to ponder for euro hopes
What is the real issue with taxes? More cuts mean less money for public services. So, who exactly is Rishi Sunak appealing to with his tax cutting manifesto?
In MetroTalk, a reader has written in, suggesting that it’s not about whether taxes are too high or too low. They think it’s time for the government to address the real concern: distribution. Do you agree?
Meanwhile, tory tax scaremongering, childish Euro victory celebrations, fourteen years of austerity, the international love life of Nigel Farage, and one commenter shares their views on steamy period drama Bridgerton – is it too horny?
Share your thoughts on these topics and more in the comments.
The problem with taxes isn't the price
The problem with taxes isn’t that they’re too high or too low – it’s that they’re distributed wrongly. People who work are taxed much more than people who passively invest, so the top one per cent can buy up shares and property and watch their profits roll in, while the people who are actually keeping the country running are left with barely enough to get by. This is why we need to tax the accumulation of money: wealth taxes, capital gains tax, etc.
These taxes basically only apply to very wealthy people anyway, who already have more than they could ever need. Most of us will end up better off, not least because we’ll be paying less in rent once property taxes make being a landlord a less attractive prospect. Plus, taxing wealth will take money out of dusty old bank accounts and use it to stimulate sustainable economic growth.
Conservative governments have been raising taxes, they just haven’t been taxing the people they need to – the passive, undeserving rich – because that’s them and their friends.
If we tax those people, then we can make real work pay, tackle the housing crisis and put idle money back into the economy.
If the Tories were truly meritocratic, as they claim to be, then they’d support taxing wealth and capital gains, because it would put people back on to a level playing field – which would also be good for the country. Instead, they’re trying to get people worked up about tax rises that won’t even apply to most of us, because they only care about themselves. Ryan Cooper, London
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The fact that the Tories are doing well out of scaremongering about taxes cuts to the heart of one of the biggest problems in modern politics; we need to let go of the idea that taxes are a bad thing.
Taxes are a good thing. They allow us to fund our essential services in the most fair and efficient way possible. One of the key reasons why our public services have been falling apart is because we haven’t been taxed enough overall and we haven’t been taxed properly.
If we want to rebuild our crumbling schools and make the NHS the envy of the world again, then we will need to raise taxes.
And it will help the economy, too – taxing wealth encourages spending and taxing property will lower house prices, allowing for greater security for ordinary workers. Labour shouldn’t be trying to hide their tax rises, they should be shouting them from the rooftops.
People need to understand that tax rises – when applied fairly and judiciously – are of benefit to our economy and society. Taxing wealthy hoarders is a prime example. Rob Slater, Norfolk
Childish goal celebrations have no place at the Euros
It’s sad to see the childish goal celebrations we see in the Premier League are now used in the Euros, by the likes of Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold. Russ, Stockport
Further to Richard from London (MetroTalk, Tue), you can play the pass, pass, pass game. But there has to be an end product.
That classic Liverpool team (which included Alan Hansen) of the late 1980s would pass you into submission, but they were great to watch. And then you have arguably the best club team of all time, the tippy-tappy Barcelona team of 10 or 15 years ago. England have players as good as any of the other teams in The Euros. It’s the mentality side they have to crack. Dec, Essex
A toddler could run UK better
I’ve seen many things saying ‘do you really want Labour in charge?’. I’d want my toddler in charge instead of this absolute shower we have.
Fourteen years of Tory rule and the country is poorer for it. Rail strikes; NHS strikes; teacher strikes; cutbacks on everything that doesn’t help the rich; potholes on virtually every road; crime through the roof.
If a Labour government means Sunak et al are ousted, then so be it. Tom, via email
Reform UK, Nigel Farage’s limited company masquerading as a political party, has released its manifesto, which Farage is calling a ‘contract’ since he reckons that most people now associate the name ‘manifesto’ with lies (Metro, Tue). Curious: I thought the name most people now associated with lies was Nigel Farage. Julian Self
Nigel Farage’s European love
Terry (MetroTalk, Tue) asks if Nigel Farage has an intense dislike for all things foreign, if that would include his French wife?
Like most of us, there are always exceptions to our rules that seem counter-intuitive to a claim. Nigel hates most things when it comes to foreigners, but certainly makes exceptions, such as when it came to setting up his offshore trust fund to avoid tax. Matthew, Birmingham
The reason Nigel Farage is so popular is because he talks like the bloke down the pub; he speaks his mind and doesn’t care if he upsets people, a very rare thing in politics.
That’s why people will vote for him. He talks like we do, not like a typical politician afraid to answer questions and upset a minority. Good on you, Nigel. Richard Farrar, London
Eco starts with economics, and new series a Bridgerton too far?
I refer to George on solar panels and Gavin on climate-saving opportunities (MetroTalk, Mon), both related to the lack of action being taken.
I have wondered why solar panels are not required to be installed on buildings of a certain size, such as warehouses, instead of using up the green belt. I suspect the reason is economic, while solar farms prefer huge areas that are easy to convert, whether ethically right or not. Therefore it should be up to the government to mandate the requirement to use the roofs ready and waiting, or yet to be built.
As regards missed opportunities to save the climate, again it’s a fear of all governments that the measures needed are not vote-getters. Sometimes it’s a lack of knowledge, and often the rhetoric that’s rolled out in the media that prevents support for action. We have to face up to the fact that some ‘sacrifices’ are also needed if we want to leave a habitable world for our children and grandchildren – whether driving less, eating less meat, buying less, recycling more, etc. Barbara Hannan, Sutton Coldfield
Having finished watching series three of Bridgerton, it was my least favourite. It was basically Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice with bonking. Hardly original. I read that series four will not hit our screens until 2026. Probably best to give it a rest. Ian, Chelsea
In answer to Jordan of London (MetroTalk, Tue), the calf was just minding his own (terrified] business, not stealing from people. Sara, Cheltenham