This years UK Budget...

[JDC]

I have not had a proper look at the highlights yet but it is so easy to use a selective information bias to paint a bleak picture in which to stimulate an emotional response of those not qualified to be a politician for which politicians cannot have the common interests of the public in their complete interest due to their bias toward voters.

Things were clearly better when we lived in caves.

[Alex]

I stand corrected. I'm off to splurdge the money generous george has given me on a sparkly new PRS.

Good idea, invest in guitars. Inflation is gonna eat up any tax reductions or savings anyway.

[Dmoney]

To be honest even if that was a good idea I probably wouldn't invest in PRS.

[dave_mc]

increasing the tax threshold is good, but combined with cuts in other places, arguably it's doing more harm than good to the very worst off (and even reasonably comfortably off).

i must actually look up what the rest of it is.

How can you say it's doing more harm than good then, if you don't know the full picture????  :?

If the very worst off don't have cars, don't smoke and don't drink (which they shouldn't be able to afford to do if they're the worst off) then they'll be better off with the increased personal allowance.

i meant things like cuts to the tax credits and things like that

i also wouldn't personally say "shouldn't be able to afford" :?

Top job in diverting attention from the NHS reform bill, this budget. Pretty devoid of any news, chuck in a £40,000 tax reduction for those earning a million quid and watch the news froth whilst it forgets you're privatising health further.

good call

[Twinfan]

i also wouldn't personally say "shouldn't be able to afford" :?

I would.  Cigarettes and alcohol are luxuries, but I'll admit a car may be essential for work.

[juansolo]

Don't smoke, don't drink (heavily) these days either. My cars are all required in order to remain sane. Yet the BBC budget calculator still reckons I'll be £96 better off...

[Twinfan]

Nice work!

[Dmoney]

Don't smoke, don't drink (heavily) these days either. My cars are all required in order to remain sane. Yet the BBC budget calculator still reckons I'll be £96 better off...

I work indirectly for the BBC. I wouldn't trust their calculations.

[juansolo]

Don't smoke, don't drink (heavily) these days either. My cars are all required in order to remain sane. Yet the BBC budget calculator still reckons I'll be £96 better off...

I work indirectly for the BBC. I wouldn't trust their calculations.

 

The warm pie tax would get me anyhow. Those bar-stewards!

[dave_mc]

I would.  Cigarettes and alcohol are luxuries, but I'll admit a car may be essential for work.

I don't drink or smoke, but i wouldn't tell someone who has a cr@ppy life that they're awful for trying to make it a little better with cigarettes or alcohol.

i guess you're glad there was no extra guitar tax? we could cure the deficit in a week with that around here :lol:

[Twinfan]

I don't drink or smoke, but i wouldn't tell someone who has a cr@ppy life that they're awful for trying to make it a little better with cigarettes or alcohol.

You're making stuff up Dave, don't make me out to be someting I'm not.  I didn't say anyone was "awful":

If the very worst off don't have cars, don't smoke and don't drink (which they shouldn't be able to afford to do if they're the worst off) then they'll be better off with the increased personal allowance.

Cigarettes and alcohol are luxuries, but I'll admit a car may be essential for work.

[dave_mc]

you said they shouldn't be able to afford it. which suggests you disagree if they do. Maybe that's a leap too far, i dunno. If so, i apologise.

though if you're that badly off i doubt you're hitting the full 10k limit anyway. i mean... i agree with raising the threshold in principle- but combined with other things (and not combined with some of the other things that they are doing).

[Twinfan]

You're reading too much into it my comment, Dave  ;)

I don't disagree with people spending their money on cigarattes and alcohol, but the same people can't complain that they don't have enough money for food/heating/bills etc.  It's all about priorities and managing what income you do have  :)

[dave_mc]

ah my edit was just ninja'd :lol: good timing

haha reading that back that reads like a politicians' apology. Sorry about that. You know what I mean. I shouldn't have made that leap as that's maybe not what you meant. :) Also i checked the budget calculator on the bbc website. in the alcohol and cigarettes bit i'll be £0.00 better off in 2012. Result! :lol:

And yep, sure, I agree. :)

[gwEm]

well I checked out the budget as it was being announced, and thought it wouldn't affect me much. In fact according to that very precise BBC calculator I'm slightly better off. But as already been pointed out - inflation will take that out.