[MovedGoalPosts]

exactly the stealth taxes, and political bidding war are big issues. I agree the Lib Dems are at least being open by saying they will raise income tax. However, by now the Stealth Taxes should be raising at least the amount that the Lib Dems wanted from income tax, over the last couple of elections (that policy has been around that long I think), so yes Ok raise income tax by a penny and reduce the stealth taxes, might be reasonable. But to want even more money. Where does it stop?

The problem has to be that at some point enough has to be enough and we have to also determine if we are getting value for money out of this increased taxation, however it is being raised. On balance I have to say we aren't. It seems to me to be going into increased beaurocracy, red tape (the increasing accountability and compensation culture is a major nightmare, which creates such a paper trail in all walks of life that does nothing for actually getting something done), and of course trying to fund an ever increasing public service pension bill, while the private pension plans (which the givernment urges us to have) get raided more and more.