Re: UK General Election 2005
 

http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do...c.page&tabID=3

It's the fifth plan of action on the right to scrap them. I will be in the first wave of students to be hit with these things, if Labour stay in.

Whether or not tories stick to their policy or not, don't know. But this is a policy I support.
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There's spending money wisely, like the conservatives plan to do, and then there's investing an incredibly large amount of money into everything and getting absolutely nothing out of it, which labour are currently doing. By spending it well, there will be no need for extra money.

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

No it doesnn't. Like I said, the poorer will be paying more in tax.

I did write that in October, when the political landscape was somewhat different. It was at that time Kennedy made his "becoming a party of opposition" speech, and conservatives at an all-time low (which made LibDems look better)

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

I'll probably vote conservative this time, since labour appears to be letting public spending get out of control. They started well, but over-promised & don't appear to have the guts to admit that they need to rein back on public spending. Not suprising really with an election in the offing. It really annoys me though when good policy takes second place to electioneering, because it's us workers that are going to have to pay for the mistakes.

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

How do you work that one out?

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

There were a few examples on the show. The people worst affected are people who share a house. The council tax gets divided into 3, but with an income tax, it is multiplied by 3 (if 3 people are in the house). Sometimes the landlord picks it up.

There is a calculator on the Lib Dems' website which will tell you if you pay more or less under their scheme.

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

Well they had virtually no chance (< 0.1%) of my vote before I saw that, now they have even less chance. :erm:

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

I voted ''Other'', because none of the parties involved in elections in Northern Ireland are represented in the pole.

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

I have just looked, and it seems I will be one of the ones better off.

It is just really poor thinking from Lib Dems. They come up with some idea which appeals to their ethics. They test it against one group of people and it (in their eyes) improves them. The don't adequately research to how everyone will fare under the scheme which makes them negligent. Either that or they don't give a monkey's about the poorer voters.

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

£21 billion for higher education, scrap tuition fees AND no additional contribution from the tax payer.

That's swayed me................NOT.
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Bully for you on a teachers salary and my other half on a modest salary I'll be £69 a year worse off:

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

But you accept now that conservatives are much more kinder to students?

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

That is categorically not true. Income tax reflects earnings and ability to pay, which council tax does not.

The worst taxes for the poor are of course, indirect ones, but they are also the ones which politically are easiest to get away with. We get shock-horror if antone suggests !p on income tax so every bugger is scared to do it. So they reap revenues through NI, petrol, alcohol etc which hits everyone regardless of ability to pay.
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The Tories don't give a toss about poorer voters hence the Poll Tax and the tax regime they had which effectively encouraged tax avoidance and, whatever, favoured the wealthy.
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But, income tax reflects people's ability to pay. Tax has, or shouldn't have, owt to do with how many share a house. TThose three people don't use the NHS etc as much as others?

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

Do you just read random posts, or is there a logic to which you skip.

Poorer people are more likely to share a house as they will be unable to afford to buy one. Renting means they'll either pay no council tax at all (if the landlord pays it), or becomes divided amongst the tennants (which is also what happens if they buy the house jointly). One example on "The Politics Show" were 3 teachers and a nurse sharing a house. The calculator said they'll pay £2000 more a year. £500 each to them is a lot.

If like me, you are lucky to own your house, or live in your parents, and you don't earn much, and your house is nice, then you'll pay less (a lot less in my case) but most everyone else will pay more.

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

Fair point. Probably not too much logic to be fair :) been down the pub watching the football and imbibing alcohol so if I'm making even less sense than usual I do apologise. However, income tax is earning related so the poor - the real poor - will be better off. The rich - the real rich (over 100k p.a) - will be worse off. Those on benefits will pay nothing for example. Which will mean a lot to them.

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

It's worth noting at this point that the current student loans system was instigated by the Tories, not Labour.


I have to admit, at this point in time, I don't know who I'll be voting for. I trust neither the Tories nor Labour (both, IMO, have lied to the electorate), but the LibDems don't seem to have a chance of winning.

Re: UK General Election 2005
 

It should also be noted that the current top up fees were instigated by Labour not the Tories, even though I'm pretty sure Labour said in their manifesto they wouldn't...