Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore has been talking to the London Evening Standard about such subjects as varied as beach volleyball, the independence referendum and taxes.
On the latter, he was clear where Liberal Democrat priorities for the Budget lie:
“The simple equation is that we think the priority is to help those on the lowest incomes to get as much support as they can,” he said. “Clearly that is going to have to be paid for and we think it is fair that those who have the broadest shoulders should be the ones who contribute to that. That is a reasonably straightforward equation that’s accepted across the country.”
His call will increase pressure on the Chancellor to agree to look at Lib-Dem proposals for a tycoon tax, particularly if he wants to soften child benefit cuts for upper earner households or lift the 50p rate from £150,000-plus earners.
Mr Moore said the aim should be “a bigger contribution from those who are the wealthiest and that we get that score card more fairly drawn out”.
Liberal Democrats were “pushing hard” for measures to help hard-pressed families, he said, including faster progress towards the party’s pledge to take everyone earning under £10,000 out of tax altogether.
These comments are one reason why we should actually wait and see what happens in the Budget on Wednesday and not get jittery about speculation in the press about the 50p tax rate going. Whatever happens, we have to look at the whole package together.
Mike fielded interesting questions about the view his office would get of the Olympic beach volleyball, taking place in Horseguards Parade. You can read how he responded here.
6 comments:
I don't usually believe the Daily Record but this title is 100% correct.
Tory Scots Secretary Michael Moore calls on SNP to spell out their tax plans for an independent Scotland
As he is constantly asking inane questions on tax rates etc he will maybe enlighten us on the UK's projected tax rates so that we can make an informed opinion on our constitutional fute within the rUK.
I am amazed that with a mayoral election coming up the people of London care one jot for the inane ramblings of the SoS for Scotland! Would it not be a good idea for the Lib Dems to actually follow through on their tax promises i.e. get the Income tax allowance up to that fabled 10K that they like to go around the doorsteps telling everyone that they have “achieved” when they haven’t. Before going on the offensive for the so called mansion tax. Will you be telling everyone on those doorsteps that that has been “achieved” when it hasn’t as well?
Interested to see Willie Rennie on Question Time the other day as a stand in for the much more popular Charles Kennedy. What a sad state of affairs it is when your supposedly independent Scottish leader is second fiddle to an ex-UK leader who had to stand down for being a dipsomaniac! And despite that is still more popular and charismatic! I also noted that Ruth Davidson got in the 10K Income tax allowance as an “achievement” of the Tories before Willie had a chance to open his mouth. Oops! When Willie did get a chance to speak we were treated to a list of the most anodyne, meaningless truisms I have ever heard. Like for example “there is a fine line between spending too much and spending too little” really, well I never! Have you tried that one on the doorsteps?
Munguin, you are talking mince. If we are supposedly bragging that we've raised the tax threshold to 10k already,why are we campaigning forand heavily pushing an online petition that calls for the Government to go faster at reaching 10k?
Caron you have bragged about it being an “achievement” on here. I distinctly remember pointing it out to you at the time. I have also heard a number of Lib Dems claim to have removed people from paying tax by increasing the threshold to 10K. So I am most certainly not talking “mince”. And you partners in crime the Tories now seem to be doing so as well. Have a look at the question time I mention and you will see Ruth Davidson doing so!
Ruth Davidson has a cheek - people can see that that policy has come from the front cover of our manifesto and it is in the coalition agreement that it'll be delivered by the end of this Parliament.
And I don't think I've ever said that we've delivered the £10k - but I've said what we have delivered to date in terms of the amount of tax people have had reduced. Nor has any other Liberal Democrat as far as I know.
No amount of you whipping up a frenzy can detract from the fact that Lib Dems are cutting taxes for low and middle income earners while maintaining the lowest paid people's entitlement, in some cases increasing that, to tax credits.
Caron that is just so much sophistry you have implied that the Lib Dems have removed thousands of people from paying tax by increasing the Income Tax threshold to 10K in this parliament. I know you have, and I know that senior Lib Dems including Willie Rennie have as well. But what you don’t say is that it’s actually nowhere near that mythical figure its actually £8,105 and you also don’t tell people that George Osborne has said that it will move towards that 10K only if financial conditions allow. That may very well be never.
I now see that you have decided to abandon the 50p income tax rate as well and let rich people off paying higher taxes so much for all the Lib Dem puff about riche people paying their fair share.
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