Question for the PH Tories...

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Discussion

surrey7er

Original Poster:

3,925 posts

270 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
chaps,

tonight I will be having dinner with my MP, a reasonably senior Conservative. The format is a 'question and answer' session... so I just wondered what you guys would like to ask of such a person?

His remit is work and pensions, but will take questions on anything (within reason!)

I was thinking to ask a somewhat rhetorical question, namely:

How are the Tories apparently behind Labour in the polls, so early in government... would it have anything to do with a) BBC bias and their fanfare around the Labour conference; b) the Conservatives inability to show/convince Joe Public that the mess we're in is down to the schmucks that ran the country from 1997 on?

ta...

anonymous-user

55 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
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If the Government has any plans to undo any of the damage Brown made on his raid on pension funds?

Kermit power

28,692 posts

214 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
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How do they justify ring-fencing overseas aid with the prospect of massive cuts looming for the already underpaid, under-equipped troops currently deployed overseas?

Actually, more generally than that, how do they justify the notion that the only people who aren't expected to share in the pain of deficit reduction in this country are the people we give money away to in other countries?

Bibbs

3,733 posts

211 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
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Why do they keep on about the deficit, and not the actual debt?

surrey7er

Original Poster:

3,925 posts

270 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Kermit power said:
How do they justify ring-fencing overseas aid with the prospect of massive cuts looming for the already underpaid, under-equipped troops currently deployed overseas?

Actually, more generally than that, how do they justify the notion that the only people who aren't expected to share in the pain of deficit reduction in this country are the people we give money away to in other countries?
Now that is what I'm talking about!

oh, and Mr. Kermit, He's your MP too biggrin

The Hypno-Toad

12,289 posts

206 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
surrey7er said:
How are the Tories apparently behind Labour in the polls, so early in government... would it have anything to do with a) BBC bias and their fanfare around the Labour conference?

ta...
Follow on from this really;

"When is there going to be root & branch reform of the BBC to cure it of its obvious left-wing and MMGW agenda?"

mr_spock

3,341 posts

216 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Given that there is plenty of evidence to show that tax revenues increase as rates of tax for higher earners decrease, and that a flat tax rate (e.g. the Czech Republic) is both cheaper to administer and increases revenue, what is the justification for keeping tiered tax income tax rates and especially the 50% rate that results in marginal tax rates pushing 70%?

plasticpig

12,932 posts

226 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
el stovey said:
If the Government has any plans to undo any of the damage Brown made on his raid on pension funds?
What damage was that then? What Brown did was enable companies to concentrate on inward investment while continuing to set a dividend that was affordable and not bow to pressure from it's major shareholders (the pension companies) to shell out the biggest dividend possible so they could claim the tax relief. It's was one of things Brown did right IMO. We would not have seen economic growth to the same extent as we did without this step been taken.



surrey7er

Original Poster:

3,925 posts

270 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
mr_spock said:
Given that there is plenty of evidence to show that tax revenues increase as rates of tax for higher earners decrease, and that a flat tax rate (e.g. the Czech Republic) is both cheaper to administer and increases revenue, what is the justification for keeping tiered tax income tax rates and especially the 50% rate that results in marginal tax rates pushing 70%?
Whilst I happen to agree with your sentiments, the general public in the UK has a very bitter view towards anyone 'rich'.

the left wing media would tear the Tories a new, much bigger ar53h0le over such perceived 'Tory toff tax cuts for the rich'...very very hard to do politically in our spiteful little land.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

271 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
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Why can't the best choice for a child, following a relationship breakdown, that being a 50/50 shared parenting arrangement be recognised formally by the agencies subordinate to and including HMRC.

silverMX

1,277 posts

188 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
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How they're planning on fixing the benefit system like they said they were going to!

Kermit power

28,692 posts

214 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
surrey7er said:
mr_spock said:
Given that there is plenty of evidence to show that tax revenues increase as rates of tax for higher earners decrease, and that a flat tax rate (e.g. the Czech Republic) is both cheaper to administer and increases revenue, what is the justification for keeping tiered tax income tax rates and especially the 50% rate that results in marginal tax rates pushing 70%?
Whilst I happen to agree with your sentiments, the general public in the UK has a very bitter view towards anyone 'rich'.

the left wing media would tear the Tories a new, much bigger ar53h0le over such perceived 'Tory toff tax cuts for the rich'...very very hard to do politically in our spiteful little land.
I'd disagree. If you run it correctly, then the overwhelming increase in operational efficiencies (it currently costs 1% of income tax receipts just to administer calculating and collecting it), coupled with large reductions in avoidance/evasion as it becomes fairer for all should mean they could easily give the Lib Dems their desire to remove everyone under £10k from the tax system, as well as ensuring that every single earner over that pays a lower tax rate, not just the higher brackets.

Halb

53,012 posts

184 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
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Where he stands on MMGW would be a good start.

130R

6,810 posts

207 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
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Ask them about the digital economy act to see if they actually know what it is, and if they do, whether they agree it should be scrapped either in part or completely. Topical given the whole ACS:Law debarcle.

surrey7er

Original Poster:

3,925 posts

270 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Kermit power said:
surrey7er said:
mr_spock said:
Given that there is plenty of evidence to show that tax revenues increase as rates of tax for higher earners decrease, and that a flat tax rate (e.g. the Czech Republic) is both cheaper to administer and increases revenue, what is the justification for keeping tiered tax income tax rates and especially the 50% rate that results in marginal tax rates pushing 70%?
Whilst I happen to agree with your sentiments, the general public in the UK has a very bitter view towards anyone 'rich'.

the left wing media would tear the Tories a new, much bigger ar53h0le over such perceived 'Tory toff tax cuts for the rich'...very very hard to do politically in our spiteful little land.
I'd disagree. If you run it correctly, then the overwhelming increase in operational efficiencies (it currently costs 1% of income tax receipts just to administer calculating and collecting it), coupled with large reductions in avoidance/evasion as it becomes fairer for all should mean they could easily give the Lib Dems their desire to remove everyone under £10k from the tax system, as well as ensuring that every single earner over that pays a lower tax rate, not just the higher brackets.
You could well be right, but the biggest %age cuts would be for 'rich barstards'. For this alone, the knuckledraggers that read the Mirror would be up in arms.

surrey7er

Original Poster:

3,925 posts

270 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Plotloss said:
Why can't the best choice for a child, following a relationship breakdown, that being a 50/50 shared parenting arrangement be recognised formally by the agencies subordinate to and including HMRC.
showing my ignorance here, but I dont really understand the context/background or how things work in reality... could you expand?

ta

surrey7er

Original Poster:

3,925 posts

270 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
130R said:
Ask them about the digital economy act to see if they actually know what it is, and if they do, whether they agree it should be scrapped either in part or completely. Topical given the whole ACS:Law debarcle.
Again, purely a question of my ignorance, but I know screw all about this! expand please?

ta!

12gauge

1,274 posts

175 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
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The two are linked. If you dig about, theres plenty of tories warning about labour unsustainable economic policies over the years. Just Sky/ITV/BBC dont cover it.

Guess it just doesnt get the ratings like a crocodile tear filled Milipede going on about social justice.
Yeah, that must be the reason laugh

Sonic

4,007 posts

208 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
surrey7er said:
130R said:
Ask them about the digital economy act to see if they actually know what it is, and if they do, whether they agree it should be scrapped either in part or completely. Topical given the whole ACS:Law debarcle.
Again, purely a question of my ignorance, but I know screw all about this! expand please?

ta!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11434809

mattviatura

2,996 posts

201 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
When is the Conservative party coming back?