Election 2015: Labour to raise £7.5bn from tax avoiders

[Zero Liability]

Neither would it support open borders in conjunction with a welfare state. Not really on topic though.

[DimPrawn]

A "pro capitalist (pro freedom)" party, by definition, would not preclude the free movement of labour.

I say open the border to any country that has better healthcare, education and crime stats than the uk. Everyone else can **** off and stay out.

[tomtomagain]

This would actually be revenue-neutral, and replace the large parts of the horrendously complex and inefficient tax/benefits system. If you did your research you'd find a lot of support amongst economists for the idea. Google 'Basic Income' or 'negative income tax', and remove those blinkers.

A citizens income without any requirement to do anything is completely stupid. It is the economic equivalent of my 7 year old son saying "Daddy, why can't everything be free?"

The Greens are a miserable party. They don't like choice and believe that they know best for everyone. If you listen to them they think : Only the Greens are moral. Only the Greens know how to make the right choices. Only the Greens know how to spend my wealth better than I do. And funnily enough they want to spend it on someone else.

But in reality they cannot even empty the bins in Brighton.

Extreme left-wing claptrap, anti-business, anti-wealth, anti-west.

[PerfectStorm]

Good. Aggressive avoidance is an enormous problem in this country and I don't take the simplistic view that if it's by-the-letter legal, then it's OK.

I have nothing to fear.

[vetran]

Good. Aggressive avoidance is an enormous problem in this country and I don't take the simplistic view that if it's by-the-letter legal, then it's OK.

I have nothing to fear.

David & Ed were in the bunch who had 13 years to fix it.

All I saw was them pursuing contractors and raising the fines on late tax returns.

I see them hitting any little old lady with a wrong tax return with a £50k fine as dealing with tax evoiders.

They did let a few big companies off large tax bills.


Nick & Dave have had 5 years to fix it.

They have had some success but have failed to address self employed / contractors sensibly.

I agree with DC in absence of a better choice.

[Zero Liability]

This offers a bit more clarity on it:

Labour announce plans to deal with tax avoidance

Looks like their plans are focused on the construction industry rather than ltd companies specifically; it also clarifies the bit regarding dormant companies mentioned on a CUK article today. Maybe they still intend to press on with the FLC for contractors?

[pjclarke]

A citizens income without any requirement to do anything is completely stupid.

Gosh, I bet Paul Krugman never thought of that before he advocated it, he'd best hand his Nobel back, along with the others.

The simple answer is a flat rate given to all works better than punishing people by withdrawing benefits as they get into work, with huge marginal rates. The argument that it acts as a disincentive to work does not pan out in practice, as pilot studies have shown. You could have discovered this by yourself with a few minutes reading, and formulated a reasoned counterargument, but I guess typing 'That's just stupid' is quicker.

[d000hg]

Might have known a Carbon nutter like pjclarke would be a Greenie...

Well, duh.

A citizens income without any requirement to do anything is completely stupid. It is the economic equivalent of my 7 year old son saying "Daddy, why can't everything be free?"

Not really. Only for those who are happy with a very low income and standard of living. Most middle class people would rather choke pole to get a small pay-rise each year, slog their guts out to climb the housing ladder, etc.
IF it's financially workable to say "if you don't want to work, don't" then go for it. If it works out cheaper to do this than to police a welfare state, then who cares?

[pjclarke]

Might have known a Carbon nutter like pjclarke would be a Greenie...

Cause and Effect Reversal

[vetran]

This offers a bit more clarity on it:

Labour announce plans to deal with tax avoidance

Looks like their plans are focused on the construction industry rather than ltd companies specifically; it also clarifies the bit regarding dormant companies mentioned on a CUK article today. Maybe they still intend to press on with the FLC for contractors?

like the Dormancy bit.

Would prefer they found the construction employees to be employed full stop not just for tax purposes as the driver seems to be the employers.

£500 million a year - no one going to shout oh that is a drop in the ocean why are we bothering with that?

but I don't see billions in what they are proposing?