“HMRC doesn’t have the data” is now the go-to excuse for shelving a wealth tax. Fine — but are we really saying inequality gets a pass just because it’s administratively awkward?
“In a country where inequality has widened for decades, refusing to measure wealth is a political choice.”
That's like that hackneyed BBC phrase, "Houthi-controlled media sources", or "accused of antisemitism" for anyone who stands up for Palestinian human rights, yes?
For the life of me I do not understand why Labour does not unlock the link between Band D Council Tax and the top Band. It is set at 2x. Move it to 4x for Band H and 2x for Band G, the next band down, or even better allow councils to decide. Very few people are affected and by definition they were in the most valuable properties 30 years ago. Those properties are extremely unlikely to be in lower bands now. There are 1.1 million properties in these 2 bands (about 4% of all properties) This could raise over £900m p.a. if you doubled Band H and £1.7b if you increased Band G by 50%.
“HMRC doesn’t have the data” is now the go-to excuse for shelving a wealth tax. Fine — but are we really saying inequality gets a pass just because it’s administratively awkward?
“In a country where inequality has widened for decades, refusing to measure wealth is a political choice.”
— Resolution Foundation
"Corbynite MP"? What does that mean, then?
That's like that hackneyed BBC phrase, "Houthi-controlled media sources", or "accused of antisemitism" for anyone who stands up for Palestinian human rights, yes?
For the life of me I do not understand why Labour does not unlock the link between Band D Council Tax and the top Band. It is set at 2x. Move it to 4x for Band H and 2x for Band G, the next band down, or even better allow councils to decide. Very few people are affected and by definition they were in the most valuable properties 30 years ago. Those properties are extremely unlikely to be in lower bands now. There are 1.1 million properties in these 2 bands (about 4% of all properties) This could raise over £900m p.a. if you doubled Band H and £1.7b if you increased Band G by 50%.