Will It Be Tories.....Will It Be Labour.....

[gregf]

Congratulation to England for the win in the world 20-20 cricket.

[Patrick Bateman]

Congratulation to England for the win in the world 20-20 cricket.

I think you want to congratulate South Africa and Ireland too.

[Your Funny Uncle]

PS Lads (Danny and Uncle), what are you most happy/unhappy about in the new coalition? I don't think the Lib Dems had much choice but to go into full coalition, but I'm interested to know what you want to see from it for it to be worthwhile.

Personally I'm very pleased with the idea of an elected PR based second chamber, and AV while not perfect should at least produce a slightly more representative parliament if the promised referendum comes out in favour of it. I'm also pleased that the Lib-Dems seem to have managed to tone down a few Tory policies and sneak a few of their own through. It's really too early to say, though. I'm interested to see how it pans out.

[Danny C]

I haven't followed the minutiae of UK VAT policy, but are essentials part of the VAT regime or are they excluded? You guys will know that better than I will, though I suspect most of the essentials I'm referring to are zero-rated, making a rise less regressive than my theoretical waffle pre-supposes. Applying it to groceries would be savagely regressive, though, but I doubt the Lib Dems would stand for that.

I know about Engel's law, that whole diminishing marginal utility thing is one of the most persuasive arguments in favour of a progressive tax regime.

Most foods are zero-rated, except for "luxury" foods like chocolate biscuits, although the rules are somewhat arcane eg roasted salted pistachio nuts in their shells attract a zero-rate, whereas roasted salted pistachios out of their shell are taxed at the standard rate of 17.5%. Go figure.

PS Lads (Danny and Uncle), what are you most happy/unhappy about in the new coalition? I don't think the Lib Dems had much choice but to go into full coalition, but I'm interested to know what you want to see from it for it to be worthwhile.

I myself must declare an interest here as a Lib Dem party member of more than 15 years

I agree with you, I don't think there was much of a choice to make. Coalition with Labour was never on the table, due to the arithmetic and their intransigence (their idea of coalition is propping up the Labour manifesto in exchange for a referendum on PR) and allowing a Tory minority government to rule alone would have been difficult to make work, especially when the economic crisis requires a strong government to handle it. In the circumstances I think we did well to extract as many concessions as we did, the coalition agreement contained loads of recognisably Lib Dem policies. I am cautiously optimistic although I don't really trust the Tories.

[Your Funny Uncle]

Yeah I'm not a party member but I've voted Liberal pretty consistently all my life as each time I've preferred their policies (except where I voted Green tactically at the last Euro elections to try to keep the BNP from getting a seat in Yorkshire and failed.) I'm hoping that they'll continue as they seem to have started and be a moderating influence on Tory policy. I'm not expecting miracles, though.

[Flaffer]

Labour wouldn't increase an easily visible tax, they would just raise hidden taxes as they have done for years. Seems strange for you to go in about not receiving a raise for three years, a period when labour were in power. Still suppose it was all the Tories doing. VAT, or similar, will have to be raised because of the hole we are in, largely due to Labours financial mismanagement, it seems amazing people are too blinkered to see that

What do people not understand about a *global* recession? Is that all Labour's fault too?


StevePSB

quoting the party line verbatim I see, yes there was a global financial crisis - but how come France, Germany and USA have come out of it quicker and in less trouble than UK, oh I forgot it was the fault of the Conservatives

[Flaffer]

The best we can hope for is the 'efficient' policies of the Conservatives and desire for smaller government and personal liberties with a Liberal bent, kudos to the Liberals for punching at their votes weight (as opposed to seats) - the number of cabinet posts was a pleasant surprise and great to see Vince Cable in cabinet. At least he has never socialised with the Rothschilds on a yacht - Hi Peter Hi George

[Your Funny Uncle]

Labour Leadership Venn Diagram:

http://twitpic.com/1oy49x