So, the tweedledum tweedledee show is over (the prime ministerial debates). All of the three big parties-NuLab, Con, Lib- say `cut public services and jobs’. Inevitable they say.
What? We disagree! The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition have got the magic answer- the answer the other parties dare not breathe lest they offend their big business paymasters, and their faithful newspapers
We say- tax the rich! Currently the lowest paid pay a higher percentage of their income than the richest. To return to the top rate of income tax, 60%, as it was even under Thatcher, would raise £19 billion. Currently the rich pay 0% national insurance on earnings over £844 a week. Taxing them the 11% the poor pay would raise another £8.5 billion.
So, the tweedledum tweedledee show is over (the prime ministerial debates). All of the three big parties-NuLab, Con, Lib- say `cut public services and jobs’. Inevitable they say.
What? We disagree! The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition have got the magic answer- the answer the other parties dare not breathe lest they offend their big business paymasters, and their faithful newspapers
We say- tax the rich! Currently the lowest paid pay a higher percentage of their income than the richest. To return to the top rate of income tax, 60%, as it was even under Thatcher, would raise £19 billion. Currently the rich pay 0% national insurance on earnings over £844 a week. Taxing them the 11% the poor pay would raise another £8.5 billion. And raise capital gains tax- it’s been cut from 40% to 18%. A giveaway! Stop and recoup the billions of bankers’ bonuses!
The UK’s hundred richest individuals have £250 billion in wealth. The rich owe £120 billion in unpaid/ avoided taxes. Last year, the 1,000 richest people in Britain increased their wealth by £77billions... yes, billions, not millions! (according to the recent Sunday Times `Rich List'. And since 2005 one boss, Bart Bracht, has `made’ £200 million, about $40 million a year. (The Guardian, 8 April, see NOTE 1). That’s 4,000 times as much as a low paid worker per annum. It would take a minimum wage worker 4,000 years to earn that much. We say- let the rich pay for the crisis, not the workers.
So, what’s in store with all the main parties? For them- lap dancing clubs, casino capitalism, the filthy rich and the bankers- still taking their bonuses- laughing mightily at the rest of us. For us, the workers- cuts in teachers, nurses, police, pay curbs on public sector (and- inevitably- on private sector workers too), vilifying immigrants, and `benefit clampdowns’- on the poor. But no- oh no- not taxing the rich.
We offer an alternative- cancel Trident and ID cards, bring the troops home from Afghanistan, nationalise the banks, and the railways. Stop PFI and privatisation. Abolish the so called competitive market in schooling and health. Abolish VAT and replace with progressive taxation. Increase corporation tax. The money’s there. We are the sixth richest country in the world. And one of the most unequal.
Time for a change. Elect 50 Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition MPs, add to the tally of Respect MPs. Time to screw those who have been screwing us for so long!
Prof Dave Hill
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown
www.brightontusc.blogspot.com
dave.hill35@btopenworld.com
Note 1 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/apr/07/reckitt-benckiser-bart-becht-pay
