Better news on inflation might lower bond yields regardless of the changes in Downing Street. But it seems more likely that honeymoon disappointment and Budget speculation will sap confidence further. This Friday, Andy Burnham is set to be confirmed as the new leader of the Labour Party and hence as the next Prime Minister of … Continue reading Another lurch to the left under Burnham could tip the economy over
Tag: CGT
Why it would be wrong to equalise capital gains tax and income tax
In principle, taxing income from labour and capital equally might appear to be fairer, simpler, and more efficient. In practice, it would almost certainly be none of these things. Wes Streeting has proposed a “wealth tax that works” as part of his Labour leadership pitch, by equalising capital gains tax (CGT) with income tax. Or in … Continue reading Why it would be wrong to equalise capital gains tax and income tax
Better UK economic news owes little to Labour’s policy choices
Friday was a relatively good day for UK economic data, with the latest news on the public finances, retail sales, and the PMI survey all better than expected. This followed Wednesday’s confirmation that headline inflation fell back in January. But is this really evidence that the worst is over – and are the Labour government … Continue reading Better UK economic news owes little to Labour’s policy choices
How might the Chancellor fill a £30 billion hole?
My previous blog post showed that, based on some reasonable assumptions, the Chancellor could have to find another £30 billion from tax increases. It is hard to see how this can be done without touching the big revenue raisers – namely income tax, National Insurance (again), and VAT. Indeed, earlier this month the Chancellor reportedly asked the … Continue reading How might the Chancellor fill a £30 billion hole?
Plain-speaking Economics 