Just a couple of days ago Nick Clegg was calling for an acceleration in raising the tax threshold for the poorest paid and, yesterday, George Osborne gave his response at Davros. Speaking to executives during a lunch he told them that the top rate of tax of 50p was always meant to be temporary and would be reduced in the future because of the "long-term damage" it is doing to the British economy. Which rather begs the question, if a 50p rate of tax for the highest paid is so "harmful" why not reduce it now? The answer, of course, is that far from being harmful the tax is crucial for Britain's survival while lowering it would make no appreciable difference to Britain's future business prospects. Does he really believe that executives paying 50p in tax on only part of their income instead of say 40p means that they work any less or are not as interested in making money as they might be? No, he is simply telling them that normal service will be resumed as soon as possible and, once the good times return, they will able to pocket more than their fair share of Britain's income while the poor, taxed unmercifully now and denied services, will continue to shoulder more than their fair share of the tax burden in the future come rain or shine. Make no mistake George Osborne is a class-warrior and he does not have the best interests of ordinary people at heart.
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