Monthly Archives: August 2011

            During the run up to the  Coalition budget I argued that increasing the CGT rate would not  yield more revenue. Some Lib Dems wanted the rate raised to 40% or even 50%. The Chancelllor listened to the arguments, and decided on 28%. He said in his Budget speech that any higher rate was [...]

                When the Indian Captain withdrew his appeal, allowing Ian Bell to return to the crease to bat some more, he did a fine thing. In this world of lawyers, rules, and fighting over every detail and advantage, it was a magnanimous and popular gesture.                Ian Bell was out. He had been given [...]

               The debate about the right level of public spending needs to be put into the context of how much tax politicians think they can impose. If you look at the last fifty years figures, you will see that no government, Labour, Conservative, Labour/Liberal or Coalition has ever tried to impose taxes higher than [...]

Dear John Thank you for your further letter of 10 February on behalf of readers of your website, about Intra-Company Transfers (ICTs).  I am very sorry for the long delay in responding to your correspondence. The Government can (and does) control ICTs in ways other than including them in our annual limit, to provide the [...]

                 This week I want to examine the UK economic strategy in more detail.                The last year has shown that  running a very large public sector deficit does not give you fast growth. Those who say we need a bigger fiscal stimulus, a polite way of describing more borrowing, need to explain why the present [...]