Be Pensions Minister for a day!
Unashamed plug for a smart interactive tool from the TUC which allows you to be John Hutton for the day.
Here's what the computer thought of my performance as Minister....
"That's a very brave set of policies minister. They will certainly go a long way to solving the pensions crisis, but you will make some powerful enemies while you do it. Britain's employers will certainly try to derail you, but most of your choices will go down well with voters."
Luckily I also scored 100% in-line with the TUC's position (didn't cheat either...honest) - but I fared less well with the employers lobby (must have been doing something right then!).
posted by Paul @ Friday, November 18, 2005
4 Comments:
Whew!
I managed to upset the Treasury, the employers and the TUC. Must have done something wrong.
What I really want, as a pensioner, is not to pay any tax until I have £10,000 pa in pension.
In fact, I would take everybody out of paying tax unless they earned over £10,001pa.
And I want this damn Council Tax sorted out. I have never minded paying towards all the amenities provided by the local Council but this tax is extortionate.
When I bought my house it was £54,000, through no fault of my own by the time the Council tax was introduced it was valued at £115000, so Band E. I can't eat the bricks and mortar and I don't want to move from my house which I love and £1660 is a large slice out of my pension, in fact its more than my mortgage was.
There must be a system which is capable of ensuring that all who earn pay a proportion of that income to the local Council for the amenities which all use.
Oh dear, I am on my hobby horse.
Any ideas?
Well the Lib-Dems are still pushing the idea of a local income tax (http://www.axethetax.org.uk/) and apparently Ken Livingstone has made supportive noises (of the policy - not their campaign)...but I'm not sure this is the solution.
Still think a lot of this issue stems back to the fact that local authorities have faced increasing demands without a similar rise in support from central government.
While the Government has rightly pumped extra resources into education and health, other services haven't fared as well. When you throw private sector companies into the mix, taking increasing amounts of money out of the public sector and into dividends, think this goes a long way to explaining why many councils are having to raise council tax well above the rise in inflation.
Of course, politically its difficult to get the balance right - local council tax-payers tend to blame council tax rises on their local council rather than central govt: and central govt is reluctant to make increases in income and other central govt taxes because they're fearful of the reaction at the ballot box.
So no easy answers. But one starting point maybe the Labour Party using the next 3-4 years to make the case to voters/tax-payers that good quality, free public services need proper funding, and those that earn more should pay more.
The right wing press will howl, but I'm not sure that Labour will be counting on their support at the next election anyway once the young Etonian is shooed in.
Had a go at minister. Thought i would have a go purly on gut feeling and what i feel is right.
Really upset a lot of people why can`t the people at the top just do the same.
T A BROWNLEE
TGWU
Thanks for your comments - suspect the public would welcome a few more politicians who went with their 'gut-instinct' rather than agonising over the possible implications in the polls.
Pensions is one of those issues that needs 'head' as well as 'heart'; but I think our starting point has to be that people who work hard for a living deserve the chance to retire with a decent income, without a financial sword of Damocles hanging over their head.
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