Tory grassroots are up in arms over 45p top rate tax pledge

From LabourList

However much David Cameron claims to have changed the Tory party his grassroots show they are the same old Tories – and are a far better indicator of what a Tory government would be like than his slick salesmanship.

Just look at this small selection of comments from ConservativeHome!

Comments:

Well, I would like confirmation that this is actually true, first of all. If it is, then it means that this Conservative Party is no longer one there is any realistic chance that I can support. If they think I am paying 45%, they can take a running jump. As Iain correctly points out above, forget this tax on high earners and zero the Overseas Aid budget for starters: it does nothing more than waste UK taxpayers’ money propping up corrupt black dictators. Posted by: Mark Hudson | March 20, 2009 at 10:40

A 45p top rate of tax, over my dead body! I did not join the Conservative Party because I wanted to pay more tax, I joined because I believe lower taxes are a moral good. At a time when tax take is down and the economy is on its knees we should actually be lowering taxes across the board. Lifting the poor out of tax altogether would save a vast amount of money, would win votes and it would give poorer people more money to spend or save. We should be lowering the top rate of tax to encourage wealthy people to remain UK residents and UK tax payers and we should be slashing business rates to encourage more businesses to come and locate in the UK, thus generating more jobs and more revenue for HM Treasury! Living in the UK as it stands with crime, out of control immigration, substandard health care and education, loss of liberty etc etc is bad enough, but putting the tax bill up in such a huge fashion will be the last straw for many people. A tax rise like this would also be counter productive. If this does become Party policy then I for one will not be lifting a finger come the general election! Posted by: Richard | March 20, 2009 at 09:18

Lower taxes, not higher taxes are the way forward. As the Conservative Party proved in the 80’s lower and simpler taxes actually generate higher levels of revenue for HM Treasury as the incentive to evade or avoid tax diminishes. Why are so many people on this site and in the Conservative Party listening to the arguments of the Left? Are we so bereft of ideas ourselves? We are ahead in the polls and that is good, but we should be further ahead. Cameron shouldn’t be having narrow wins at PMQs; he should be wiping the floor week-in-week-out; and not just Cameron, all the Shadow Cabinet. From Defence to Health, from Education to Immigration, this Labour Government has destroyed this country and yet we do not seem all that angry about it. I am angry, my family is angry, my colleagues are furious as are my friends and everyone else I speak to. Can we please some bold, radical policies and some anger from our front bench, before it is too late! Posted by: Richard | March 20, 2009 at 09:30

I gather the 45p tax rate would generate £2billion. The Aid budget is going to rise from £5.4 billion in 2007/8 to £7.9 billion in 2010/11. David Cameron is pledged to keep our Aid budget rising, the only area of public expenditure growth he’s pledged to keep growing other than the NHS. So it’s fairly clear where the 45p tax rate money is going. It’s going from British tax payers to African despots Swiss bank accounts. Great policy Dave, I am glad I don’t have to defend it! Posted by: Iain | March 20, 2009 at 09:44

As usual, it’s a loser. It will chase the rich away from the country altogether. If we cut the public sector to the bone, stop all financial aid abroad, deport all illegal immigrants and stop wasting money on quangos, working parties, redecorating government offices, financing dying banks and their huge pension payouts, financing legal aid and aid for terrorists and told all unemployed non EU foreigners to leave, we could start to see a aving! Are you the same as Labour or do I have to vote elsewhere? Posted by: Emily Sedgefield | March 20, 2009 at 10:01

So earned income gets clobbered (unless you are an MP where you can dress it up as expenses claims) while the Tories are still pledged to reduce the tax burden on unearned inherited wealth. So much for the party of enterprise. They are also pledged, like Labour, to spend unlimited sums of money on our failed and unreformed healthcare and education systems. Do they have any clue at all about how to put the UK back on a sound competitive footing? Posted by: Michael McGowan | March 20, 2009 at 10:10

We must not destroy incentive or investment. One might even argue that tax cuts for those in a position to create jobs through enterprise or investment should be a greater priority than tax cuts further down the pecking order. If money is to be saved then it has to come from a restructuring of the public sector, not through a taxation on incentive. Posted by: Tony Makara | March 20, 2009 at 10:40

What a dreadful, dreadful idea. Do some Tories NEVER learn? Higher direct taxes secure increased employment (for tax avoidance lawyers) travel agents, international removers and bloodsucking parasites in Government offices. Haven’t we shown that the 45% rate brings in peanuts but will cost oodles in enforcement? Think again, Dave – or the job you’ll save will be yours as Leader of the Opposition. For a time, anyway. Posted by: dcj | March 20, 2009 at 11:08