That is the wrong way to do it. We need defence bonds. And European banking cooperation to fund loans for investment in the British defence industry and others on the continent.. also the possibility of a one of hypothecated defence tax levy in view of the crisis. We have to have something to defend
No, there are multiple alternative options including joining the Single Market, imposing a wealth tax and/or a digital tax on large multinationals like Amazon. Why is it always cut welfare payments from the Toriesz
She's vile, though I've just seen a headline saying he's going to cut the foreign aid budget to fund defence. Difficult choices thanks to 14 years of Tory underfunding.
She can do one, at least Starmer didn't say he cut disabilities yet, who knows with him, cutting foreign aid first, and later on could be benefits to reach 3 per cent of GDP on defence
Ah yes, of course Badenoch is seizing on any nearest opportunity to take money from the weakest of society - under cover of dressing it up as something else.
We could cut tax avoidance of course, but no. Usual Tory soft targets.
Unfortunately... Starmer has gone with her on this one.
It's obviously right to increase defence spending (unfortunately necessary) but it's a question of priorities and courage, as to from where that comes.
Foreign aid assists in reducing refugees and possibly reducing radicalisation. It’s not perfect but in the west, we have so much more than a lot of people have around the world. So let’s make the poor people poorer and make the poorest people in our society pay for the consequences.
Why do the Conservatives always want to take money from the poor, instead of asking the rich to pay their fair share? Why do they despise ordinary citizens so much?
What? Instead of cutting welfare spending and foreign aid to fund more tax cuts for the super rich? That’s a major sea change for the reform-light party. Bloody snowflakes…
Yet the Tories did both of those things over 14 years of failing Govt but ended up spending a lower GDP % on defence that the end than when they started in 2010...🤔
Or have a wealth tax on the 20,000+ people in the UK who are worth over £10m GBP to contribute to defence spending.
As, funnily enough, they and their investments also benefit from a safe and stable society.
Also, funnily enough, their children never seem to be on the front line of any fighting.
At a meagre 2%, each of those £10m millionaires would pay at least £200k in tax. Plus the 500 or so billionaires would pay at least £20m in tax.
It would revert *at least* £14b back to the gov.
I can't see how this would impact their wealth.
Wholeheartedly agree. The hyper wealthy have become ever more wealthy due the obvious investment opportunities they have, perpetual, unihibited growth of their wealth, often inherited. Plus they have lobbied governments for decades to reduce their tax burden. It's time to reverse this cycle.
What is more, all higher wealth is not earned no matter what they say. The values of their assets increase through the compounding efforts of society. I see tax as club fees, the more you benefit from being in the club the more fees you should be happy to pay.
Yes. The hyper wealthy argue they live in isolation from the rest of us, when it comes to homes in leafy idles and first class travel they do but that's it.
The roads they drive on, the armed forces providing a deterrent, the gov paid schooling providing workers for their business, etc they benefit.
Absolutely. Plus there is a hidden benefit in property. Say you bought a commercial building in a not gentrified area for X, then after gentrification (provided by gov, council and society) you sell it for X+Y then Y is a benefit you have received. Yes, CGT but the increase in rent is a benefit too.
I'd love to see an international reframing of this. It is like being members of a leisure group, the poor pay no fees but get access to the tiniest facilities & the ultra rich get access to 10* platinum facilities but pay gold tier (the highest) fees. That is why they won't leave, no 10* elsewhere.
starmerroid needs to do what the labour govt did after WW II. borrow and invest. This country really needs something of that magnitude after 14 years of tory misrule which only made the rich a lot richer
Pathetic. Should be 3.5%- ideally 5% now. No need for welfare or aid cuts. A sovereign currency issuer can create the money and its hardly going to be inflationary. Its constrained only be material and manpower resources. Russia know and practice that. That's how they keep going.
Why not?
We could immediately rejoin on previous terms so everything would be in place. The EU want us back to get our Nuclear weapons cover. It would immediately slash red tape for companies and power growth. It’s a win win win.
We most certainly could NOT "immediately rejoin on previous terms," or indeed any other terms right now.
And our nuclear weapons aren't independent, they need US input.
Except that the last two occasions on which Trident test launches have been attempted they have failed. The suspicion is that the USA sabotaged the missile systems before supplying them to the Royal Navy as they don't want UK to have an independent nuclear deterrent. France has a nuclear deterrent!
No we couldn't, there's no way we can just waltz back in on the very favourable deal we had. Joining the EU as a non member state take years and there are no opt outs.
We don't have to accept the Euro or Schengen we just have to acknowledge we will but there's no timescale. Poland joined the EU in 2004 and hasn't adopted the Euro, it became a Schengen country in 2007.
Kemi "the idiot" Badenoch. Never misses a chance to make the worse off pay for things. Extend progressive taxation, hit the wealthy - individuals & corporations.
I don’t know which is more depressing; the fact that Badenoch is so morally and politically adrift all she can do regurgitate the transatlantic madness, or the fact that there’s little appetite for correctly labelling and dismissing the madness.
Tax your rich mates Kemi. These people, down the line they go, no deviation. Always take from the poor. Poorhouses would be back, nhs gone. 20k to have a baby in the US. Their end point would be so devastating to so many.
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Either would work.
And it has no foreign denominated debts
The only limit on government printing pounds is availability of real resources for pounds to buy
We could all be dying and they would still say tough shit.
We could cut tax avoidance of course, but no. Usual Tory soft targets.
It's obviously right to increase defence spending (unfortunately necessary) but it's a question of priorities and courage, as to from where that comes.
Honestly, the brass neck of the Tories after their clusterf*ck of a government is staggering…
As, funnily enough, they and their investments also benefit from a safe and stable society.
Also, funnily enough, their children never seem to be on the front line of any fighting.
It would revert *at least* £14b back to the gov.
I can't see how this would impact their wealth.
The roads they drive on, the armed forces providing a deterrent, the gov paid schooling providing workers for their business, etc they benefit.
"Tory scum" doesn't even come close.
Surely Kemi now believes that Trump and Putin are our friends? So with no nearby enemies left we can be cutting back?
Or does she mean the EU?
a) a 5% wealth tax on the richest 5%
b) rejoin the EU
We could immediately rejoin on previous terms so everything would be in place. The EU want us back to get our Nuclear weapons cover. It would immediately slash red tape for companies and power growth. It’s a win win win.
And our nuclear weapons aren't independent, they need US input.
One dissenting voice would scupper it
But the rich don’t print the pound