Comments on: Clegg goes bonkers. Again. http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/09/07/clegg-goes-bonkers-again/ “ferocity with a purpose” Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:30:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Dominic http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/09/07/clegg-goes-bonkers-again/comment-page-1/#comment-200546 Dominic Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:01:44 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/?p=1603#comment-200546 Who said anything about being to the right of Cameron??! Tax cuts (properly prioritised / funded, which is partly James' point, I think) are a Liberal objective. And tend to play better on estates than leafy streets in my experience - no coincidence, given that so many of Brown's stealth taxes have fallen disproportionately on low & middle income earners. Who said anything about being to the right of Cameron??!

Tax cuts (properly prioritised / funded, which is partly James’ point, I think) are a Liberal objective. And tend to play better on estates than leafy streets in my experience – no coincidence, given that so many of Brown’s stealth taxes have fallen disproportionately on low & middle income earners.

]]> By: Linda Jack http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/09/07/clegg-goes-bonkers-again/comment-page-1/#comment-200543 Linda Jack Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:37:47 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/?p=1603#comment-200543 Aiming to be to the right of Cameron is also an odd strategy having declared we are targetting Labour seats. Aiming to be to the right of Cameron is also an odd strategy having declared we are targetting Labour seats.

]]> By: Dominic http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/09/07/clegg-goes-bonkers-again/comment-page-1/#comment-200542 Dominic Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:36:12 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/?p=1603#comment-200542 >> <i>Also worth pointing out that we’ll have to put PFI back on the balance sheet, which is hundreds of billions worth of extra debt to service.</i> Nope - having it on balance sheet doesn't mean it costs you more; in fact the opposite. PFI is an expensive route because you end up paying higher (equity) returns rather than lower ordinary costs of servicing debt - and the con is that despite the equity-like returns, Govt retains de facto the risk on the project. As for the accounting ("on" v "off" balance sheet), that per se makes no difference at all to the total level of interest / implied interest cost. >> Also worth pointing out that we’ll have to put PFI back on the balance sheet, which is hundreds of billions worth of extra debt to service.
Nope – having it on balance sheet doesn’t mean it costs you more; in fact the opposite. PFI is an expensive route because you end up paying higher (equity) returns rather than lower ordinary costs of servicing debt – and the con is that despite the equity-like returns, Govt retains de facto the risk on the project.

As for the accounting (”on” v “off” balance sheet), that per se makes no difference at all to the total level of interest / implied interest cost.

]]> By: newmania http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/09/07/clegg-goes-bonkers-again/comment-page-1/#comment-200540 newmania Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:36:03 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/?p=1603#comment-200540 I would not worry too much. There is not a sentient being in the Solar system that takes Lib Dem promises of tax cuts seriously anyway. When you have just suffered ten years of ‘no tax rises’ which turned out to mean an inflation adjusted 55% increase in spending people get like that. Much of the increase was reaped from stamp duty and fiscal drag and so required few direct rises ( although the plunder of pensions and National Insurance was felt ). During this period the Lib Dems criticised continually but sadly it was from the left. Thatcher stuck with Callaghan’s spending plans and Blair was lumbered with Major’s taxation . In reality tax promises are easy to get out of over time and direction and trust are more important than figures People do not buy from cold callers and especially if they have history of ripping people off . So say what you like about tax , say you will abolish it why not say you will garnish it with lettuce and make it into a sandwich . A flying f--- , not a soul will give. Solution - Many years of political honesty , saying g something unpopular just once and the same thing all over the country occasionally eeerm not being the Liberal Party . No charge I would not worry too much. There is not a sentient being in the Solar system that takes Lib Dem promises of tax cuts seriously anyway. When you have just suffered ten years of ‘no tax rises’ which turned out to mean an inflation adjusted 55% increase in spending people get like that.
Much of the increase was reaped from stamp duty and fiscal drag and so required few direct rises ( although the plunder of pensions and National Insurance was felt ). During this period the Lib Dems criticised continually but sadly it was from the left. Thatcher stuck with Callaghan’s spending plans and Blair was lumbered with Major’s taxation . In reality tax promises are easy to get out of over time and direction and trust are more important than figures
People do not buy from cold callers and especially if they have history of ripping people off . So say what you like about tax , say you will abolish it why not say you will garnish it with lettuce and make it into a sandwich . A flying f— , not a soul will give. Solution – Many years of political honesty , saying g something unpopular just once and the same thing all over the country occasionally eeerm not being the Liberal Party . No charge

]]> By: newmania http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/09/07/clegg-goes-bonkers-again/comment-page-1/#comment-200541 newmania Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:36:03 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/?p=1603#comment-200541 I would not worry too much. There is not a sentient being in the Solar system that takes Lib Dem promises of tax cuts seriously anyway. When you have just suffered ten years of ‘no tax rises’ which turned out to mean an inflation adjusted 55% increase in spending people get like that. Much of the increase was reaped from stamp duty and fiscal drag and so required few direct rises ( although the plunder of pensions and National Insurance was felt ). During this period the Lib Dems criticised continually but sadly it was from the left. Thatcher stuck with Callaghan’s spending plans and Blair was lumbered with Major’s taxation . In reality tax promises are easy to get out of over time and direction and trust are more important than figures People do not buy from cold callers and especially if they have history of ripping people off . So say what you like about tax , say you will abolish it why not say you will garnish it with lettuce and make it into a sandwich . A flying f--- , not a soul will give. Solution - Many years of political honesty , saying g something unpopular just once and the same thing all over the country occasionally eeerm not being the Liberal Party . No charge I would not worry too much. There is not a sentient being in the Solar system that takes Lib Dem promises of tax cuts seriously anyway. When you have just suffered ten years of ‘no tax rises’ which turned out to mean an inflation adjusted 55% increase in spending people get like that.
Much of the increase was reaped from stamp duty and fiscal drag and so required few direct rises ( although the plunder of pensions and National Insurance was felt ). During this period the Lib Dems criticised continually but sadly it was from the left. Thatcher stuck with Callaghan’s spending plans and Blair was lumbered with Major’s taxation . In reality tax promises are easy to get out of over time and direction and trust are more important than figures
People do not buy from cold callers and especially if they have history of ripping people off . So say what you like about tax , say you will abolish it why not say you will garnish it with lettuce and make it into a sandwich . A flying f— , not a soul will give. Solution – Many years of political honesty , saying g something unpopular just once and the same thing all over the country occasionally eeerm not being the Liberal Party . No charge

]]> By: Auberius http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/09/07/clegg-goes-bonkers-again/comment-page-1/#comment-200520 Auberius Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:16:29 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/?p=1603#comment-200520 Couldn't agree more. Also worth pointing out that we'll have to put PFI back on the balance sheet, which is hundreds of billions worth of extra debt to service. Couldn’t agree more. Also worth pointing out that we’ll have to put PFI back on the balance sheet, which is hundreds of billions worth of extra debt to service.

]]> By: tinter http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/09/07/clegg-goes-bonkers-again/comment-page-1/#comment-200489 tinter Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:52:23 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/?p=1603#comment-200489 Indeed. Aiming to be to the right of Cameron is also an odd strategy to reach 150 seats in two parliaments. Surely this would require big gains from labour next time round? As to adding to tuition fees in our spending plans, thats up for review in the spring and the rumours I have heard are that may not remain the case. Indeed. Aiming to be to the right of Cameron is also an odd strategy to reach 150 seats in two parliaments. Surely this would require big gains from labour next time round?

As to adding to tuition fees in our spending plans, thats up for review in the spring and the rumours I have heard are that may not remain the case.

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