Liberal Democrats = Social Workers Party in a suit

[sjn2004]

Just had a look at their website and read this statement

"Conservative and Labour governments have changed Britain into one of the most unequal societies in the developed world, where ordinary people struggle to make ends meet while the richest benefit from tax breaks. The poorest fifth of the population pay a higher proportion of their income in tax than the richest fifth."

So how does that work out? I'd imagine that the poorest fifth are all on benefits so how do they pay more tax then the richest fifth?

Also, being in the top 20% of the population doesn't make you rich by any means , I guess for the Lib Dems anybody with a 3 bed detached house and two cars are "rich" and need to be penalised while they free a load of scum from prison who'll get more benefits.

what a joke!

[EDLT]

Peter Snow did a documentary about how much people earn, less than 10% of the population earn over £100,000 (iirc). So the top 20% won't be "rich" people (imo).

[KANEIT]

Very funny, little Nicky puts in a good show and suddenly he and his party are the source of all things evil, on ph at least. The OP's post smacks of Toryboy propaganda, where the Libdems say something statistically correct you make it out to be something outrageous.

[cazzer]

KANEIT said:

Very funny, little Nicky puts in a good show and suddenly he and his party are the source of all things evil, on ph at least. The OP's post smacks of Toryboy propaganda, where the Libdems say something statistically correct you make it out to be something outrageous.

It isn't statistically correct though, when they included what benefits are recieved back (was shown on the news).
If you also take into account Working Tax Credit and all the other guff the low waged recieve they pay around half of the rate of the top 10%.

[sjn2004]

KANEIT said:

Very funny, little Nicky puts in a good show and suddenly he and his party are the source of all things evil, on ph at least. The OP's post smacks of Toryboy propaganda, where the Libdems say something statistically correct you make it out to be something outrageous.

Well if somebody on 150K earns an extra £1000.

£510 in tax/NI.

Of the £490 left if it is spent another 17.5% goes on VAT, if they buy alcohol/fuel then an even greater percentage goes to the taxman. So from that initial £1000 over £600 is going back directly to the taxman.

I guess a more realistic election motto for the Lib Dems would be "If your in the st is always nice to have company".

As for my analogy with the SWP, they also shout "No nukes/tax the rich/free borders" etc just like the LD's are saying now.

[sjn2004]

EDLT said:

Peter Snow did a documentary about how much people earn, less than 10% of the population earn over £100,000 (iirc). So the top 20% won't be "rich" people (imo).

Did some googling and found links to the data for that show.

Quote

Nearly 6m were in the lowest pay bracket of less than £10,000, including cleaners and hairdressers. The average British salary is £24,907, but two-thirds of the population still earn under the national average, while fewer than 5,000 earn more than £1m.

And to be in the top 10% of earners, you need to be on a salary of just £46,000. The findings were revealed last night on the BBC2 TV programme What Britain Earns."

Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_...

Now this is working people. Add in the data for the unemplyed/sick/pensioners and the top 20% is anybody with a half decent job.

Edited by sjn2004 on Saturday 17th April 23:55

[sjn2004]

Gaz. said:

Is that full time or does that include all earners?

Iirc the median wage for "Mr Average" in the uk is barely £20k.

I'd imagine the figures are earners.

Checking this page

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?ID=949

Gives this graph, the population of working age in dark blue.



Maybe 65% of the population is of working age? So it looks like Nicks 20% are unemployed/low skilled part time workers/pensioners with no pension.

Edited by sjn2004 on Sunday 18th April 00:22

[Guybrush]

You don't have to be right wing to realise both the lib dems and Labour will carry on the ruination of this country, you only need to be politically aware and around the centre of the spectrum. The Conservatives will make us all better off, don't believe the silly bitter socialists worker propaganda. Their idea of 'the rich' is anyone who has a job, or a house or even a car and given enough time they won't let you aspire to those things either - don't be fooled into thinking they'll only go after people richer than yow.