Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[GiGi]

29 minutes ago, Aladdin said:

If inflation starts increasing then so should taxes.  Fund the public services we need properly.

Should inflation not be around 2.5-3.0% anyway?

As long as income goes up with inflation then tax on income will go up with it. Not sure it's a great idea to give the population that kind of double whammy or you'll see hardship, and therefore pressure on the NHS, increase. 

Edited August 6, 2021 by GiGi

[hk blues]

16 minutes ago, Todd_is_God said:

Aye, great idea. We can all pay more twice.

Or get the uber rich to pay once - sorted.

[Aladdin]

Just now, Left Back said:

The problem with this approach is politically it can't work.  Higher taxes will burden the lower paid more.  It shouldn't be like that but tax avoidance amongst the wealthy ensures unequal distribution.  People aren't going to vote for a party that raises their tax burden.

You're right, the problem is both political and the result of our overly complex, unwieldy tax legislation that is basically easy to avoid, should you earn enough.  People, especially it seems south of the border, quick to complain about public services but any suggestion about paying more to obtain a service that actually reflects what our changing population needs is met with howls of protest.

The standard tax bracket should only be raised slightly with a higher personal allowance to protect lower earners.  More progressive taxation of higher earners is really what is needed.

[Dawson Park Boy]

14 minutes ago, Aladdin said:

We have an NHS that was barely coping under the strain of an ageing, increasingly unhealthy population.  Throw in a widespread respiratory illness and it cant function without lockdowns and other extreme measures, if you call cancellations of "non-essential" surgeries over the past 17 months functioning.

You don't come across as the biggest fan of lockdowns. If we want to keep the country open and running, how else do we pay for the increased demand on the NHS?

We move to a different funding system but that’s not for here.

[hk blues]

2 minutes ago, Aladdin said:

You're right, the problem is both political and the result of our overly complex, unwieldy tax legislation that is basically easy to avoid, should you earn enough.  People, especially it seems south of the border, quick to complain about public services but any suggestion about paying more to obtain a service that actually reflects what our changing population needs is met with howls of protest.

The standard tax bracket should only be raised slightly with a higher personal allowance to protect lower earners.  More progressive taxation of higher earners is really what is needed.

Alternatively, come and live where I am where I've never hear anybody complain about paying tax - except me as I seem to be the only C*** who pays any.  Saying that, the don't have an NHS or even half-way acceptable education system - you get what you pay for which is nought here.  Here, they poor pay nothing, the rich pay nothing and the poor guys in the middle like me get squeezed for everything.  

[Aladdin]

Just now, hk blues said:

Alternatively, come and live where I am where I've never hear anybody complain about paying tax - except me as I seem to be the only C*** who pays any.  Saying that, the don't have an NHS or even half-way acceptable education system - you get what you pay for which is nought here.  Here, they poor pay nothing, the rich pay nothing and the poor guys in the middle like me get squeezed for everything.  

The worst of both worlds model.  

[Jacksgranda]

21 hours ago, Jacksgranda said:

Had to go for a Covid test this morning, having been in close contact with someone who tested positive. He was double jagged, too.

Negative

[hk blues]

Just now, Aladdin said:

The worst of both worlds model.  

Pretty much

[Todd_is_God]

16 minutes ago, hk blues said:

Or get the uber rich to pay once - sorted.

Agreed. But they avoid paying now, and nothing gets done about it.

They aren't suddenly going to start paying if we increase taxes.

So it would be the regular people like me getting stung with higher taxes, whilst also paying more for goods and services. No thanks.

[Cairn Terrier]

Looking at the MSM and social media there seems to be some kickback against both testing and the completely random moving of countries on the green, amber and red lists.

6,000 not scrambling to get back from Mexico yet they move India to the amber list. UAE moved to amber yet Turkey left on the red list.

People just cannot plan for a holiday of international travel - forced to choose from a limited green list where prices have gone through the roof for some destinations.

It's just fucking nonsense now.

Calling cards of morons, for anybody booking a holiday to Mexico just now.

[Detournement]

1 hour ago, Todd_is_God said:

Turns out printing more money does have consequences afterall...

The inputs that are increasing inflation have nothing to do with monetary policy. 

If the bank raises interest rates it won't bring down inflation it will simply give protection to lenders and savers at the expense of the vast majority of the country who have personal, business and mortgage debts. 

[Left Back]

1 minute ago, Todd_is_God said:

Agreed. But they avoid paying now, and nothing gets done about it.

They aren't suddenly going to start paying if we increase taxes.

So it would be the regular people like me getting stung with higher taxes, whilst also paying more for goods and services. No thanks.

And therein lies the political dilemma.  No party is going to win an election if they don't appeal to middle-earners which is a large chunk of the population so none will stand on a ticket of raising taxes.  Even Labour don't although we all know they will raise taxes if they get back in.

[Todd_is_God]

Just now, Left Back said:

And therein lies the political dilemma.  No party is going to win an election if they don't appeal to middle-earners which is a large chunk of the population so none will stand on a ticket of raising taxes.  Even Labour don't although we all know they will raise taxes if they get back in.

Why should I pay more in tax now to protect years of underinvestment in the NHS? Maybe the SG should have considered investing in it over the last 14 or so years rather than pledging non means tested free stuff all over the place.

[Jacksgranda]

12 hours ago, Elixir said:

One day this is going to be looked back on for what it truly is, and folk like the climate psychos fully endorse it.

 

Ah, those days of Empire when we ruled the whole of South America, Mozambique, Angola, Rwanda, Burundi, the Phillipines, Ethiopia, the DRC. Those were never the days.

[Monkey Tennis]

17 hours ago, AmericanFan said:

Props to her for living it up and not giving a f**k what others think.

Giving a f**k what others think is actually a good thing.

[EH75]

48 minutes ago, The Master said:

I remember there being a stooshie about football stands and most or all clubs concluded that their stands were indeed "substantially enclosed". 

People who have clearly never sat in the away end at Pittodrie in December.

[Rugster]

Falkirk are setting aside a "safe zone" in one of our stands for the CEV to go to, it states 2 metre distancing at all times. It also states face masks must be worn in this area which kind of suggests they won't need to be worn in other areas of the stand? Not sure if this has been actually confirmed or not but maybe it's a hint that masks at the football are being binned?

[hk blues]

9 minutes ago, Todd_is_God said:

Agreed. But they avoid paying now, and nothing gets done about it.

It's a global disease.  

Where I am, the major taxpayers are able to negotiate their tax payments.  You can imagine how that works.  

[Lyle Lanley]

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-staying-safe-and-protecting-others/
 

That’s the guidance from Monday been published. 
 

 

[Michael W]

Health spend in 2020/21 was budgeted at 178bn. 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/298524/government-spending-in-the-uk/

Meanwhile tax receipts were 556bn. Noting that the pandemic would've put in a massive dent, the 2019/20 figure was 635bn (rounded up) 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/284298/total-united-kingdom-hmrc-tax-receipts/

So we are in the realms of 28-35% of the entire tax take being spent on health. Give the NHS more money is a time honoured solution thrown with no context - how much money does it need? Start there and we can start determine why the existing budget isn't enough and how we might be able to fund it. If it's going to be another 20bn for example than another series of annoying indirect taxes, which are the government's preference, aren't going to cut it. 

Bearing in mind that chucking money at it won't achieve anything without new facilities and more staff, which takes several years. Thus can't be fixed quickly. 

Debt interest amounting to 10% of the tax take is also thoroughly depressing.