Monday 16 August 2021

Pensioners show us how it's done.

From The Express:

OLDER voters are considering withholding support from the Tories if Chancellor Rishi Sunak ditches the Government's pledge to hike the state pension in line with average earnings, a survey warns today...

In a series of interviews last month, Mr Sunak refused to say whether the Triple Lock guarantee would be honoured this year.

“The Triple Lock is the government’s policy but I very much recognise people’s concerns,” he said in response to concerns about the potential cost. I think they are completely legitimate and fair concerns to raise. We want to make sure the decisions we make and the systems we have are fair, both for pensioners and for taxpayers,” the Chancellor added.


Whatever the rights and wrongs of an issue, the lesson is that if you want something, you just have to vote for it ('green' measures, Brexit, high pensions etc). Voter turnout among pensioners is very high, with corresponding results, so all parties have to be at least as 'generous' as the others.

And if you want the government to collect taxes from land values instead of from wages and ouput, just vote for it. If you're in Scotland, vote for the Scottish Greens; if you're in Yorkshire, vote for the Yorkshire Party and everywhere else, you have to get on the ballot paper for Young People's Party (we are still waiting to hear from El Comm on the name change).

7 comments:

Staffordshire man said...

Basic income Liberal Land

Vote for Bill

Mark Wadsworth said...

SM, that's not a bad idea. We should call ourselves "Land Value Tax and Basic Income". Then people can vote for it.

mombers said...

Yorkshire party - where's their land tax policy? Can't see on their site

mombers said...

'"The organisation claimed the move will be the “last straw” after a series of financial blows to older citizens including the axing of free television licences for most pensioner households and the failure to overhaul the crumbling social care system.'

So even though pensioner poverty is much lower than working age poverty, increase what they take out of public resources and decrease what they put back? Lovely.

Mark Wadsworth said...

M, good question, I'm sure they've mentioned 'land tax' a few times but I can't find it either.

M, agreed, but this isn't about right or wrong, this is about getting what you want by voting for it.

George Carty said...

Pensioners have demographics on their side: there's a reason why the 1946-1962 generation are called "boomers" after all.

Andrew Carey said...

The North East Party manifesto at the last election said:
We seek the abolition of the unfair Council Tax. We would replace
it with a Land Value Tax of £100 per annum on every acre of England and of 0.5% on the value of every home

I did look at the Yorkshire Party manifesto but couldn't see anything similar. Alas, the bit the North East Party missed is ensuring that there would be no exemptions or discounts, so I like what they said but I'm not sure they could be trusted yet.