Comments on: Fuel Poverty and Tax Poverty – what Gord gives with one hand he takes with another http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/08/22/fuel-poverty-and-tax-poverty-what-gord-gives-with-one-hand-he-takes-with-another/ Incisive and topical campaigns and commentary on today's issues and tomorrow's problems Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:16:45 +0000 hourly 1 By: Bazman http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/08/22/fuel-poverty-and-tax-poverty-what-gord-gives-with-one-hand-he-takes-with-another/#comment-5428 Bazman Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:20:11 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1358#comment-5428 What other industries can put up prices by 30% and then another 50% and still make profit. These are not voluntary purchases. Remind me how the utility companies which are in reality little more than billing companies, can make a loss? How do the directors and shareholders loose money? The public are starting to see through this lie and also in the banking system and large companies being given money to waste on hare brained schemes. The lie being that all losses are socialised and all profits privatised. Companies making millions in profit and the rank and file employees paid so low they have to be subsidised by the state. Company and Middle class welfare no less. What other industries can put up prices by 30% and then another 50% and still make profit. These are not voluntary purchases. Remind me how the utility companies which are in reality little more than billing companies, can make a loss? How do the directors and shareholders loose money?
The public are starting to see through this lie and also in the banking system and large companies being given money to waste on hare brained schemes.
The lie being that all losses are socialised and all profits privatised.
Companies making millions in profit and the rank and file employees paid so low they have to be subsidised by the state.
Company and Middle class welfare no less.

]]> By: Robert http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/08/22/fuel-poverty-and-tax-poverty-what-gord-gives-with-one-hand-he-takes-with-another/#comment-5427 Robert Sun, 24 Aug 2008 14:33:06 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1358#comment-5427 I've lived all my life on a council estate and up until now have never ever had benefits, my wife has spina bifida and she has worked all her life, my neighbours have all worked the only time we did not was well through the Thatcher years, sad to say it looks like we are returning to a major recession. Then a few years ago while in work bang an accident lost my legs at work sued the company who of course went bust, then found the insurance was not up to scratch 13 years down the line I get 1/3 of the compensation I should have had, the gover I've lived all my life on a council estate and up until now have never ever had benefits, my wife has spina bifida and she has worked all her life, my neighbours have all worked the only time we did not was well through the Thatcher years, sad to say it looks like we are returning to a major recession.

Then a few years ago while in work bang an accident lost my legs at work sued the company who of course went bust, then found the insurance was not up to scratch 13 years down the line I get 1/3 of the compensation I should have had, the gover

]]> By: wrinkled weasel http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/08/22/fuel-poverty-and-tax-poverty-what-gord-gives-with-one-hand-he-takes-with-another/#comment-5426 wrinkled weasel Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:51:21 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1358#comment-5426 Oh dear. Once again my comment seems to have disappeared into cyberspace. I can't figure it out. Oh dear. Once again my comment seems to have disappeared into cyberspace.

I can't figure it out.

]]> By: Riddiford of England http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/08/22/fuel-poverty-and-tax-poverty-what-gord-gives-with-one-hand-he-takes-with-another/#comment-5425 Riddiford of England Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:26:27 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1358#comment-5425 when oh when will we understand that our Provincial Government at westminster is forbidden by Brussels to alter VAT rates and much else. It is not a Competence of the English government. The Soviet EUnion receives the majority of its income by sequestering VAT so the tampering therewith is verboten. (Soviet in russian simply means Council so is apposite here) when oh when will we understand that our Provincial Government at westminster is forbidden by Brussels to alter VAT rates and much else.

It is not a Competence of the English government.
The Soviet EUnion receives the majority of its income by sequestering VAT so the tampering therewith is verboten.

(Soviet in russian simply means Council so is apposite here)

]]> By: APL http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/08/22/fuel-poverty-and-tax-poverty-what-gord-gives-with-one-hand-he-takes-with-another/#comment-5424 APL Sat, 23 Aug 2008 10:43:35 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1358#comment-5424 Bazman: "What about poverty caused by companies? A tax of overcharging? Elitists bleating about overheads, whilst living luxury lifestyles. Fat 1234." Do you really mean companies cause poverty? A company that creates something that people voluntarily buy. The company makes a profit which it distributes to its shareholders all the while paying its employees. So far as I can see, every party to the transaction is better off. The employees get paid, the shareholders get dividends, the customer who freely purchased his widget has a widget he wanted. No one is impoverished. Mark Wadsworth has crunched a few numbers on Centrica for example, a while ago they announced their profits to much gnashing of teeth and wailing by the socialists in the BBC. Mark says: <a href="http://markwadsworth.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-08-01T14%3A24%3A00%2B01%3A00&max-results=12" rel="nofollow">http://markwadsworth.blogspot.com/search?updated-...</a> That Centrica it seems, makes £62.50 per customer per year profit. The rest is handed over to the government to waste. On things like the 'John Lewis List', not buying the best equipment for our soldiers, Making sure the MOD has the best marble in the MOD lavatories, another lash up on the Comet airframe the usual sort of big government graft. Anyway, £62.50 per customer per year seems a pretty good premium, to make sure I get gas whenever I turn the gas tap. Bazman: "What about poverty caused by companies? A tax of overcharging? Elitists bleating about overheads, whilst living luxury lifestyles. Fat 1234."

Do you really mean companies cause poverty? A company that creates something that people voluntarily buy. The company makes a profit which it distributes to its shareholders all the while paying its employees. So far as I can see, every party to the transaction is better off. The employees get paid, the shareholders get dividends, the customer who freely purchased his widget has a widget he wanted. No one is impoverished.

Mark Wadsworth has crunched a few numbers on Centrica for example, a while ago they announced their profits to much gnashing of teeth and wailing by the socialists in the BBC. Mark says:
http://markwadsworth.blogspot.com/search?updated-…

That Centrica it seems, makes £62.50 per customer per year profit. The rest is handed over to the government to waste. On things like the 'John Lewis List', not buying the best equipment for our soldiers, Making sure the MOD has the best marble in the MOD lavatories, another lash up on the Comet airframe the usual sort of big government graft.

Anyway, £62.50 per customer per year seems a pretty good premium, to make sure I get gas whenever I turn the gas tap.

]]> By: John http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/08/22/fuel-poverty-and-tax-poverty-what-gord-gives-with-one-hand-he-takes-with-another/#comment-5423 John Sat, 23 Aug 2008 10:27:05 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1358#comment-5423 If the Tories get in at the next election, how long will it take for the general public to feel the change? I noticed that as utilities are putting up fuel prices Brown was handing out millions of pounds to Afghanistan. This is our money. How dare he give it to a hostile state. What are you proposing to do? If the Tories get in at the next election, how long will it take for the general public to feel the change? I noticed that as utilities are putting up fuel prices Brown was handing out millions of pounds to Afghanistan. This is our money. How dare he give it to a hostile state. What are you proposing to do?

]]> By: Bazman http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/08/22/fuel-poverty-and-tax-poverty-what-gord-gives-with-one-hand-he-takes-with-another/#comment-5422 Bazman Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:27:13 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1358#comment-5422 What about poverty caused by companies? A tax of overcharging? Elitists bleating about overheads, whilst living luxury lifestyles. Fat 1234. What about poverty caused by companies? A tax of overcharging? Elitists bleating about overheads, whilst living luxury lifestyles.
Fat 1234.

]]> By: mikestallard http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/08/22/fuel-poverty-and-tax-poverty-what-gord-gives-with-one-hand-he-takes-with-another/#comment-5421 mikestallard Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:30:51 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1358#comment-5421 I truly hope that the difference between the Conservatives and the Labour is this: Conservatives (as you say) will tackle the real problems: impossible taxation, lousy Comprehensive education based on the 11+ SATs, hopeless bureaucracy etc, storage and supply of electricity, oil and gas and some new efficient coal. And so on. Labour: helping the poor community and the vulnerable community who are in poverty of fuel, power, education and health. Anyone who has any knowledge of human nature will assure you that the people are reewarded thrive and become the majority, whereas the ones who are not rewarded, but taken for granted will maybe just survive or, more likely, decline. This means that if you reward the vulnerable, the dispossessed, the criminals, the unworthy, the work shy, the incapacitated and so on, then - bingo! - you get lots and lots more of them. If, on the other hand, you reward the people who work hard to serve the people who need it (business word there!), then you get more of them. And these people, unless you interfere, will do well and prosper without government help for the most part too. If only the Labour could understand this very simple point. Giving out £150 to OAPs like me is, frankly, an insult. It wouldn't even cover one of their "business breakfasts". I truly hope that the difference between the Conservatives and the Labour is this:
Conservatives (as you say) will tackle the real problems: impossible taxation, lousy Comprehensive education based on the 11+ SATs, hopeless bureaucracy etc, storage and supply of electricity, oil and gas and some new efficient coal. And so on.
Labour: helping the poor community and the vulnerable community who are in poverty of fuel, power, education and health.

Anyone who has any knowledge of human nature will assure you that the people are reewarded thrive and become the majority, whereas the ones who are not rewarded, but taken for granted will maybe just survive or, more likely, decline.
This means that if you reward the vulnerable, the dispossessed, the criminals, the unworthy, the work shy, the incapacitated and so on, then – bingo! – you get lots and lots more of them.
If, on the other hand, you reward the people who work hard to serve the people who need it (business word there!), then you get more of them. And these people, unless you interfere, will do well and prosper without government help for the most part too.
If only the Labour could understand this very simple point.
Giving out £150 to OAPs like me is, frankly, an insult. It wouldn't even cover one of their "business breakfasts".

]]> By: APL http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/08/22/fuel-poverty-and-tax-poverty-what-gord-gives-with-one-hand-he-takes-with-another/#comment-5420 APL Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:35:22 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1358#comment-5420 Ian H: "Such a shame the “Fuel Poverty” advisor did not announce the Brown administration is going to cancel the 5% VAT on Fuel,imposed by …er, the Brown Administration" If fuel poverty is such a concern for this government, why not abolish fuel duty and abolish Vat on fuel. Since the tax on as an example, a litre of petrol accounts for about 80% of the retail price. This single act by the government would do more to address fuel poverty than any waffling by the fuel poverty adviser. Ian H: "Such a shame the “Fuel Poverty” advisor did not announce the Brown administration is going to cancel the 5% VAT on Fuel,imposed by …er, the Brown Administration"

If fuel poverty is such a concern for this government, why not abolish fuel duty and abolish Vat on fuel.

Since the tax on as an example, a litre of petrol accounts for about 80% of the retail price. This single act by the government would do more to address fuel poverty than any waffling by the fuel poverty adviser.

]]> By: Stuart Fairney http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/08/22/fuel-poverty-and-tax-poverty-what-gord-gives-with-one-hand-he-takes-with-another/#comment-5419 Stuart Fairney Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:30:40 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1358#comment-5419 Interesting that the government makes arbitrary definitions of poverty (60% of mean annual income), fuel poverty (10% of disposable income), and anyone favoured received handouts. (I cannot help but wonder if electoral poverty maybe defined as a non-elected prime minister languishing at 26% in the polls?) This helps neither those who get the state benefits (in fact it further traps them in dependency), nor those who pay for them out of heavy general taxation. Interesting that the government makes arbitrary definitions of poverty (60% of mean annual income), fuel poverty (10% of disposable income), and anyone favoured received handouts. (I cannot help but wonder if electoral poverty maybe defined as a non-elected prime minister languishing at 26% in the polls?)

This helps neither those who get the state benefits (in fact it further traps them in dependency), nor those who pay for them out of heavy general taxation.

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