So, this morning, the boy Miliband advanced a fairly modest policy to normalise tax regulation for those classed as non-domiciled in the UK. It’s pretty small beer, more of a token gesture. Non-doms make up 0.4% of the overall tax base, but in terms of fairness, it’s reasonable enough. A bit of a win-win for Ed, puts him on the populist side of a debate, doesn’t actually amount to any real difference in the grand scheme of things. A bit like announcing a manifesto promise to not punch any ponies in the face.
Then? Oooh, turned out Ed Balls had said that this may not necessarily be such a good idea, in a somewhat equivocal interview a few months ago. That it might cost money, as the rich fucked off in a sulk, but it was something that needed looking at.
Cue an Olympic standard display of synchronised squawking from Tory High Command. “A shambles, chaos” said Cambo “ A shambles, chaos” said Osborne, only in a slightly more strangled voice. “Chaos, a shambles” said Gove, ever the iconoclast.
Curious, as all the interview had said was he thought it needed looking at. Which he had, and had come up with this. There is nothing inconsistent about this stance. Not as inconsistent as say, stating firmly that there will be “no top down reorganisation of the NHS” and then doing just that. Or saying, I don’t know, “there will be no raising of VAT” and then, um, raising VAT.
But anyway, I’m sure that any outbreak of conservative harrumphing over this policy is surely done from the best of motives, and in no sense due to the party trousering 18 million quid from its non-domiciled donors. Just as when they themselves looked at doing this in the eighties, they in no sense chickened out of it because a load of Tory donors kicked off. Course, we can’t prove that, because there was no freedom of information act then, so it’s just hysteria and wild speculation. Not entirely unlike the Tory response to Miliband’s announcement this morning. Elections eh, dontcha just love ‘em?
Then? Oooh, turned out Ed Balls had said that this may not necessarily be such a good idea, in a somewhat equivocal interview a few months ago. That it might cost money, as the rich fucked off in a sulk, but it was something that needed looking at.
Cue an Olympic standard display of synchronised squawking from Tory High Command. “A shambles, chaos” said Cambo “ A shambles, chaos” said Osborne, only in a slightly more strangled voice. “Chaos, a shambles” said Gove, ever the iconoclast.
Curious, as all the interview had said was he thought it needed looking at. Which he had, and had come up with this. There is nothing inconsistent about this stance. Not as inconsistent as say, stating firmly that there will be “no top down reorganisation of the NHS” and then doing just that. Or saying, I don’t know, “there will be no raising of VAT” and then, um, raising VAT.
But anyway, I’m sure that any outbreak of conservative harrumphing over this policy is surely done from the best of motives, and in no sense due to the party trousering 18 million quid from its non-domiciled donors. Just as when they themselves looked at doing this in the eighties, they in no sense chickened out of it because a load of Tory donors kicked off. Course, we can’t prove that, because there was no freedom of information act then, so it’s just hysteria and wild speculation. Not entirely unlike the Tory response to Miliband’s announcement this morning. Elections eh, dontcha just love ‘em?
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