Monday 12 November 2012

Well duh

From The Guardian 2 July 2010:

The evaluation concludes that, since the law [which makes it a criminal offence to pay for sex in Sweden] came in to force in 1999, the number of women involved in street prostitution has halved, whereas neighbouring countries such as Denmark and Norway have seen a sharp rise...

From The Daily Mail 12 November 2012:

Denmark is scrapping its tax on foods that are high in saturated fat after it emerged people were travelling across the border to Germany in search of unhealthy snacks for less.

9 comments:

Dave Allison said...

I went to Dingwall Police station with evidence of Highland Council corruption.
The senior officer refused to accept the evidence and advised that I go to the Procurator Fiscal.

The Inverness Procurator Fiscals office twice refused to take the evidence, and advised I go to the police.

WELL DUH !

And thats how it works folks. It worked for BBC employees .....

Mark Wadsworth said...

HC, that sounds like a neat bureaucratic one-two. I'm sure it's happened to most of us several times in our lives.

Derek said...

It used to be possible to mount a private prosecution in Scotland, if the Police and the Procurator-fiscal weren't interested. Expensive of course, but would that be an option?

Bill Quango MP said...

An independent Scotland would put a great strain on the tax regimes.

If I was Mr Salmon I'd be starting to announce my 'lower fuel duty' and 'lower cigarette duty' taxes round about now.

I'd save the VAT cut to 10% for next Christmas.

Ian Hills said...

This sounds like what the EU calls a "beneficial crisis", ie an opportunity to impose Europe-wide Brussels law (and taxes) on sex and grub.

Graeme said...

I am shocked that Danes did not want to pay higher taxes - do they not munderstand the role that the courageous state has to play in saving them from their wicked urges?

Mark Wadsworth said...

BQ, good point.

IH, yes, that aspect did worry me as well. But then again, all the more motive for leaving, which was BQ's point.

G, clearly they didn't. Neither did lonely Swedish men.

Kj said...

The official explanation for the abolition of fat&sugar taxes was that the administrative costs were too high. Which actually might be true. Someone realised that there are effects and costs of taxes, what a refreshing take on government fiscal policy.

Furor Teutonicus said...

XX Ian Hills said...
impose Europe-wide Brussels law (and taxes) on sex and grub.XX

You mean like, spray cream, and strawberrys and..... ahh. maybe not....