David Cameron’s tax freeze pledge: Tories will not raise income tax, National Insurance, or VAT April 28, 2015 The Conservative party will today pledge a cast-iron guarantee that it will not raise the rates of income tax, National Insurance (NI) or VAT during the next parliament, should David Cameron be returned to Downing Street. A law preventing any increase in the three taxes – which account for over 60 per cent of tax [...]
Think tank IFS says Labour cannot bank on 50p tax rate to bring in more money April 28, 2015 Labour cannot bank on bringing more money into the public purse by reintroducing the 50p tax rate, according to new research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). The independent research institute said yesterday that raising the additional rate of income tax for people earning more than £150,000 from 45 to 50 per cent [...]
General Election 2015: Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones wants a focus on entrepreneurship and business education April 28, 2015 ELECTION COUNTDOWN: 8 DAYS TO GO Every day until the final week of the election campaign, we ask a business leader to say what policies would entice them to vote for a particular party. PETER JONES: CBE, DRAGONS’ DEN STAR AND ENTREPRENEUR ■ What I really want from our next government is an [...]
Alexis Tsipras defends Yanis Varoufakis and says Greece will reach deal with creditors by end of next week April 28, 2015 Greece is on the verge of securing a bailout agreement with its EU creditors, according to the struggling nation's Prime Minister. During an interview on Greece's Star TV last night, Alexis Tsipras said the final and most important stage of talks had been reached, and that an interim deal is likely to be achieved by [...]
General Election 2015: What is confidence and supply? April 28, 2015 We're just nine days away from what many believe to be the most uncertain election outcome in living memory. And with the polls showing no clear majority, a hung parliament is looking increasingly likely. This could lead us towards another coalition government, or its more obscure friend "confidence and supply", which is a much less [...]
Leading business group backs Ed Miliband’s plan to scrap arbitrary immigration targets April 28, 2015 Ed Miliband has received a ringing endorsement from one of the country's leading business groups for Labour's immigration stance. Labour have said they will not set out a specific immigration target to reduce the net inflow of people coming to the UK differentiating themselves from both the Tories and Ukip. This is welcome news to [...]
Labour and Conservatives would “significantly complicate” the pension contributions system, says IFS April 28, 2015 Both Labour and Conservative plans to change reform the system of pension contributions have come in for sharp criticism from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). The independent think tank says the system has been rattled by instability over the last five years, which would continue whichever of the top two parties formed the next [...]
Labour’s mansion tax is “unnecessarily complicated” and imply £16,000 charge on properties over £3m, says IFS April 28, 2015 Both Labour and Conservative plans for the taxation of property have come under fire from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) with Labour's controversial mansion tax being described as "unnecessarily complicated." The IFS says there is host of problems with the way property is currently taxed, not least the structure of council tax. The independent [...]
General Election 2015: David Cameron dismisses Russell Brand as “a joke” ahead of Ed Miliband interview April 28, 2015 David Cameron has called comedian-turned-political activist Russell Brand “a joke” and said the public should ignore his stance on not voting. Speaking at an event in North London, Cameron said he "profoundly disagreed" with Brand. "He says don't vote, it only encourages them. That's funny, right, it's funny. But politics and life and elections and [...]
IFS: Number of higher rate taxpayers could swell to 5m under the Conservatives April 28, 2015 The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has concluded that under the major parties' plans for taxation and benefits, in the next parliament households can expect their incomes, on average, to fall. The independent think tank found there were major differences between the parties, with the Tories planning small net cuts to tax and much bigger cuts [...]