Business Leaders Back Conservative Tax Pledge

[lets get it right]

What will Gordon do now? Big business leaders are saying he's wrong!

I particularly like these comments ...

"In the last two years, businesses across the country have cut their costs without undermining the service they provide," the letter says. "It is time for the government to do the same."

It adds: "As taxpayers we would welcome more efficiency in government. As businessmen we know that stopping the national insurance rise will protect jobs and support the recovery."

Mind you, what do the men that run Marks and Spencers and Sainsbury's know about business? They should keep their mouths shut and leave running the economy to career politicians who really know what they are talking about. What's a lifetime running multi-billion pound businesses compared to a couple of years as Chancellor?

[DTMark]

In response, Labour said the Tory plan amounted to an "unfunded promise".

Like the whole of this Government's public spending for the last few years and still now

Edited March 31, 2010 by DTMark

[@contradevian]

Like the whole of this Government's public spending for the last few years and still now

+1 yup unfunded and with Merv working overtime, in the photocopying room!

The dozy fecking media are soaking that up. A government that buys its own debt whinging about unfunded promises. I ask you.

Edited March 31, 2010 by SirStirlingSlumlord

[porca misèria]

The Tory pledge is a final straw: they are wearing Labour's clothes!

They could have kept it, they could have reversed it. But they chose neither: they're going to chop it selectively, leaving yet another nightmarish complexity for the poor taxpayer to deal with. Jobs for the accountants!

This demonstrates the very mindset of rampant Big Government: exactly the kind of thing we've come to expect from Brown. I despair

A plague on both their houses :angry:

[bendy]

gordo will dismiss this whole article and feeling as an april fool.

[hirop]

You can tell how effective this policy announcement has been by the distance the other two parties have thrown their toys out the pram.

Good stuff, Tories eventually get something right in this media war. No more tax rises until useless public services and pointless government programs have been cut to the bone. Then raise taxes if need be.

[IBlewItLastTime]

You can tell how effective this policy announcement has been by the distance the other two parties have thrown their toys out the pram.

I think you have something there.

It was the Tory inheritance tax pledge (batty in my view, but never mind) that sparked so much panic with Labour so that they dropped the CGT rate to 18% - a huge windfall for many and a very expensive counter-response.

Its clear that the promise of a low tax future terrifies Labour.

Its great to see prominent businessmen expose the myth that somehow wasteful spending is better for the economy than lower taxes - that really was a mad hatters debate!

[robo1968]

Good stuff, Tories eventually get something right in this media war. No more tax rises until useless public services and pointless government programs have been cut to the bone. Then raise taxes if need be.

Like these? Taken from thebusinessdesk.com this morning, I wish this was an April fool

Number of council high earners increases

MORE than 80 Yorkshire council employees received salary packages of more than £100,000 in the 2008-09 financial year, according to a new study.

According to the TaxPayers' Alliance, which has compiled the research, the number of council senior staff across the UK receiving large pay packages has "soared" despite the recession.

The study found that 31 people earned more than Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 2008-09, up from 19 the previous financial year.

[mightytharg]

Are they backing it with their money?

Or are they 'backing' a reduction in the amount they would have to pay?

And if not them? Who are they 'backing' to pay instead?

Laffer curve again, cutting the jobs tax -> more jobs -> more tax.

[lowrentyieldmakessense(honest!)]

+1 yup unfunded and with Merv working overtime, in the photocopying room!

The dozy fecking media are soaking that up. A government that buys its own debt whinging about unfunded promises. I ask you.

i know its a f joke

[lets get it right]

Hobson's choice,buggered if we do get the Tories,buggered if we don't.

But who be the biggest bugger? Which is why it comes down to a selfish choice - who will I be better off under?

New Labour haven't quite managed to get us all dependent on the state, so there is still maybe one last chance to get out from under.

Difficult though when you think how the electoral system is rigged against the Tories and Liberals.

In the 2005 election ...

Labour got 35.2% of the vote and 55.1% of the seats

Tories got 32.4% of the vote and just 30.7% of the seats

Liberals got 22% of the vote and 9.6% of the seats

Our electoral system is a fu*cking disgrace. The word 'democracy' should stick in the throats of Labour and Conservative politicians (who, being as thick as sh!t, back the present system in the desperate hope it will give them absolute power)

[Cicero]

+1 yup unfunded and with Merv working overtime, in the photocopying room!

The dozy fecking media are soaking that up. A government that buys its own debt whinging about unfunded promises. I ask you.

Truly insane.

The analogy of a snake devouring itself comes to mind.

[wonderpup]

Tories eventually get something right in this media war.

No they haven't. Do you really think the spectacle of a bunch of Fat Cats on mega salaries backing Cameron is going to help him persuade Joe Bloggs that the tories give shite about ordinary people? The 'shock' news that a bunch of wealthy people support the tories simply reinforces the stereotype they should be trying to avoid.

I think the conservatives have a genuine blind spot here- their closeness to the city distorts their world view to the point where they confuse the approval of the money men with popular appeal.

I think this cute little stunt will backfire by simply confirming the idea that the Conservatives are the party of the wealthy and powerful- not a good look at a time when a lot of people can feel their own grip on any kind of wealth and power slipping away.

[lets get it right]

No they haven't. Do you really think the spectacle of a bunch of Fat Cats on mega salaries backing Cameron is going to help him persuade Joe Bloggs that the tories give shite about ordinary people? The 'shock' news that a bunch of wealthy people support the tories simply reinforces the stereotype they should be trying to avoid.

I think the conservatives have a genuine blind spot here- their closeness to the city distorts their world view to the point where they confuse the approval of the money men with popular appeal.

I think this cute little stunt will backfire by simply confirming the idea that the Conservatives are the party of the wealthy and powerful- not a good look at a time when a lot of people can feel their own grip on any kind of wealth and power slipping away.

Depends which particular world view you see the world via. Yours is, I think, a lot different from the majority of people.

I'd bet that if you picked a hundred random people and asked them 'who would you take any notice of on economic matters, a politician with no economic training who has never run anything in his life - or the chairman of Marks and Spencers'.

I'd say 99% would go for the chairman of Marks and Spencers.

When I read things like this 'I think this cute little stunt will backfire by simply confirming the idea that the Conservatives are the party of the wealthy and powerful' - I think - are you nuts? Why would any party identify themselves with the wealthy and powerful? They make up 1% of the population - how would anyone who set out to do that think they would ever form a goverment.

Are you a hundred and fifty years old. You seem to be living in a different age. Surely we're past the idea of the factory boss rolling in it while the workers toil and in live in 2 up 2 down back to back terraces with outside toilets. Or do you think the world is still like that? If you do you're in a minority.

[bogbrush]

No they haven't. Do you really think the spectacle of a bunch of Fat Cats on mega salaries backing Cameron is going to help him persuade Joe Bloggs that the tories give shite about ordinary people? The 'shock' news that a bunch of wealthy people support the tories simply reinforces the stereotype they should be trying to avoid.

I think the conservatives have a genuine blind spot here- their closeness to the city distorts their world view to the point where they confuse the approval of the money men with popular appeal.

I think this cute little stunt will backfire by simply confirming the idea that the Conservatives are the party of the wealthy and powerful- not a good look at a time when a lot of people can feel their own grip on any kind of wealth and power slipping away.

I found this bit spectacularly ironic, coming from someone leaning toward NULab - the party of the City if ever there was one.

[porca misèria]

Truly insane.

The analogy of a snake devouring itself comes to mind.

Does your analogy extend to the Midgard Serpent encircling the world?

[billybong]

Business leaders back Conservative tax pledge

They're all doing the Murdoch sidestep away from NuLabour now - like Murdoch and most of business sidestepped the Tories in 1997.

They're very adept at knowing which side their bread is buttered on but for most people that do vote it'll again be a matter of choosing between rocks and hard places. Perhaps this is the first election for a long time that people have some awareness of the dearth of choice.

[sesim]

Perhaps this is the first election for a long time that people have some awareness of the dearth of choice.

The current situation is like sitting at the head of the table in the Titanic's 5 star restaurant, and spending a good few hours pontificating on whether you're going to sleep better on a starter of the finest Beluga Caviar or a soggy Mushroom Pie, while gazing at the beauty of the icebergs as they drift majestically by.

Edited April 1, 2010 by sesim

[hirop]

No they haven't. Do you really think the spectacle of a bunch of Fat Cats on mega salaries backing Cameron is going to help him persuade Joe Bloggs that the tories give shite about ordinary people? The 'shock' news that a bunch of wealthy people support the tories simply reinforces the stereotype they should be trying to avoid.

I think the conservatives have a genuine blind spot here- their closeness to the city distorts their world view to the point where they confuse the approval of the money men with popular appeal.

I think this cute little stunt will backfire by simply confirming the idea that the Conservatives are the party of the wealthy and powerful- not a good look at a time when a lot of people can feel their own grip on any kind of wealth and power slipping away.

Elections are just a series of cute little stunts put together. My point stands, labour are bothered enough about this change that they have been screaming about it all day, as channel 4 news has just highlighted. George Osbourne held his corner well, as he argued, we are talking about saving £1 in every £100 of current gov spending. If we can't achieve that then the game is over now and we might as well just pack up and ****** off somewhere poor and hot - as the deficit and debt problems we have to deal with over the next however many years (4,8,25?) will take a lot more than a 1% reduction in spend.

[wonderpup]

Depends which particular world view you see the world via. Yours is, I think, a lot different from the majority of people.

So, you think the majority of people identify with the CEO of Marks and Spencer and see his views as representative of their own?

I'd bet that if you picked a hundred random people and asked them 'who would you take any notice of on economic matters, a politician with no economic training who has never run anything in his life - or the chairman of Marks and Spencers'.

I'd say 99% would go for the chairman of Marks and Spencers.

The chairman of Marks and Spencers is as remote from the everyday world of most people as the moon- they don't give a stuff what he thinks about anything- all they know is that he is another rich guy in a suit telling them what to do- just like the bloody bankers.

When I read things like this 'I think this cute little stunt will backfire by simply confirming the idea that the Conservatives are the party of the wealthy and powerful' - I think - are you nuts? Why would any party identify themselves with the wealthy and powerful? They make up 1% of the population - how would anyone who set out to do that think they would ever form a goverment.

You seem to be making my point for me here. You don't think it likely that when the public sees a line up of that 1% standing behind Cameron they will assume he is on their side? He must be -right? Otherwise they wouldn't be backing him up. Don't read the words- listen to the music. Most people don't have clue about the issues, all they know is that bunch of rich guys say Cameron is their man.

Are you a hundred and fifty years old. You seem to be living in a different age. Surely we're past the idea of the factory boss rolling in it while the workers toil and in live in 2 up 2 down back to back terraces with outside toilets. Or do you think the world is still like that? If you do you're in a minority.

I live in world where wealthy men in nice suits have destroyed the lives of millions, and scared the hell out millions more. So I don't want to vote for a party that seems to be in the pocket of wealthy men in nice suits.

Simplistic- oh yes. Minority- you better hope so.

[wonderpup]

Elections are just a series of cute little stunts put together

Yes, they are. So what is the likely outcome of stunt where a group of the rich and powerful publicly state that Cameron is their man?

Is that really the message the tories want to deliver to the great unwashed; "Vote for us because all these rich guys think we're great?"

Labours core message is that the Tories are the party of the wealthy- and this bunch of morons have handed them the proof of it.

[wonderpup]

I found this bit spectacularly ironic, coming from someone leaning toward NULab - the party of the City if ever there was one.

I don't disagree with this-my choice would be lib dem. I'm just making the observation that one's view of reality tends to be influenced by the people around you- and given that Cameron's father is an investment banker it would be strange if he has not inherited something of a 'city centric' perspective.

[dissident junk]

So, you think the majority of people identify with the CEO of Marks and Spencer and see his views as representative of their own? The chairman of Marks and Spencers is as remote from the everyday world of most people as the moon- they don't give a stuff what he thinks about anything- all they know is that he is another rich guy in a suit telling them what to do- just like the bloody bankers.

Errr ... I think you are missing the point that the brand is way bigger than the man, and, in this case, the brand is not only a British institution but one that is major symbol in the consumer landscape across the country.

People won't think "that man is a rich sod", they will think "Marks and Spencers thinks it is a bad idea", and that is the difference in impact.

You are also forgetting just how many ordinary people work for Marks and Spencers, and how many ordinary people visit the stores, even if they don't buy anything.