Monthly Archives: May 2010

I do not accept the view that a Chief Secretary has to be a City figure who knows the markets. The Chief Secretary’s job is a very political one, based on doing deals with Cabinet colleagues over their budgets. Mr Alexander’s close proximity to the Deputy Prime Minister and his Lib Dem colleagues is his [...]

It’s not a topic I wanted to have to write about, but it’s one I can no longer ignore. I begin by sending my condolences to the 11 people who died in the fire and explosion on the Transocean drilling rig, and my commiserations to all who now face loss of income or livelihood as [...]

Today a government Minister said the government has not yet formulated a CGT proposal – as I have been saying on this site. He also said they were conscious of the needs of entrepreneurs making business investments and savers needing investments for retirement. That’s a little reassuring. The taper idea I have put to them [...]

Whilst many of us want to concentrate on the future and the rescue of our economy, the next few months will also see some reappraisal of the Labour years. For the first time we will be able to debate them without the choking blanket of spin coming from Downing Street. That is why I had [...]

There has been a deluge of support for arguing that we should realise that choosing competitive and fair rates of CGT is the way to maximise the tax take and to encourage saving and risk taking. Just a few have written in to demand higher taxes on buy to let property. Let me explain why [...]

Last night on Question Time we were asked to explain why both Ed Balls and Ed Milliband are now critical of the Iraq war. The answer is obvious. They both wish to lead the Labour party. Many Labour MPs and Trade Union members always had their reservations about assisting in “Bush’s war”. Other Labour MPs [...]

Amidst all the over hyped media talk of cuts to come and massive public sector pain ahead, let’s spare a thought today for all those who have been living with cuts for many months. People in industry lost their jobs or suffered pay cuts in the deep 2008-9 recession. Savers have seen their income from [...]

David Gauke MP HM Treasury Whitehall London SW1 Dear David, I am writing with a proposal on how you can amend CGT in line with Coalition government objectives. I understand your wish to tax short term gains as income, to prevent conversion of income into capital and to ensure short term traders and speculators pay [...]

Some of you objected to my carefully chosen words on changes in the 1922 Committee. Some of you thought I needed to oppose the changes, whilst others thought backbenchers should give united support to the Leader. As I said at the time, I am more than happy with the Leader’s proposal that Ministers should come [...]