Abolition of 10p tax band
 

Greg Pope tabled a motion for action over Gordon Browns abolition of the 10p tax band.

The abolition was in last years budget where Brown attempted to grab headlines by cutting the basic rate by 2p, when he had in fact overall increased taxes. What the removal does is force people who earn above the 'no tax on income' threshold, to pay 20% of their income as tax, rather than 10%. This results in lower earners having to pay more tax.

Good on Mr Pope for tabling the motion, with 30 MP signatures, which has now been withdrawn as Mr Brown said he will look at the impact of the changes. I really hope he keeps his word. Although personally I think he should have kept the motion until action was taken.

More information: BBC NEWS | Politics | Brown fights backbench tax revolt

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

I noticed this at the time....sneaky tax grabbing
Many are in for a shock
I am over 65 so my tax allowance has been adjusted to compensate for it
-under 65s havent got that.

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

I wouldn't have minded the loss of the lower rate if the personal allowance had been increased. There are too many people on low earnings who are paying tax.

For 2008-09 the personal allowance for anyone under 65 is £5435 so if you are employed and earning £10000 a year you're going to pay tax at 20% on £4565. Of course you may be able to claim Tax Credits but, if you think about it, isn't that farcical, taking it off you while giving it back?

A personal allowance of at least £10000 would cut out the need for Working Tax Credit and make take-home pay more realistic and less open to errors.

(I don't know why I'm still bothered. I retired from it all last September. :D)

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

Here is the press release that went from Greg's office to the accrington observer:

Greg’s Commons motion urges Government u-turn on abolition of the 10p tax band – changes are hurting Hyndburn says MP

Hyndburn’s MP has tabled a Commons motion urging the Government to think again on the abolition of the 10p tax rate which comes into effect this week. Greg said:

“I have been corresponding with Ministers about this for quite a while, I’ve tabled Parliamentary Questions, I’ve written letters and I’ve seen the Minister but to no avail. The Government thought when they announced the abolition of the 10p tax rate last year that no-one would be made worse off as they thought everyone would be entitled to either Pension Credits or Working Tax Credits, but they were wrong.

“It’s clear to me that quite a lot of people with modest incomes in East Lancashire and across the UK will find themselves worse off this week because someone in the Treasury got their sums wrong. I’ve been trying to tell ministers this for ages but no-one seems to be listening so I’ve now tabled a Commons motion backed by other normally loyal Labour MPs frustrated by the Government’s inaction. This was raised at a private meeting of Labour MPs with the Prime Minister earlier in the week and I hope that this motion will now focus ministers’ minds on the problem.”

The motion reads:

Abolition of the 10p Tax Rate

That this House notes that, despite assurances to the contrary, many people are being made worse off by the abolition of the 10p tax rate; notes with concern this is having a disproportionate impact on people who can ill afford to be made worse off; accepts that this was not the intention of Her Majesty’s Government but is dismayed at the response to the plight of those adversely affected; and calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to bring forward measures to correct this damaging change to the taxation system

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Greg Pope was mentioned on Brekfast News 24 this morning, the reporter said that Greg had put through a PMB about these new taxes and had withdrawn because he got assurances from the Government that the would take another look at it. When the BBC contacted the Government on this issue they were told that there would be no alterations to the tax system which comes into force tomorrow. The BBC said they had tried to contact Greg but he had GONE TO GROUND (thats new name for Blackburn). So it looks like this Government not only con the British people but also their own back bench MPs.

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

Gordon Brown made up a mess of this. Not accepting that fact is poor form.

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You may get your hand slapped for that comment but good of you to stand your corner.

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BBC NEWS | Politics | 'No rethink' on tax rate - Hutton

So the government are not going to go back on their abolition, they'll force lower earners to pay double the amount of tax they paid before. What a disgrace.

Will Greg now put his motion back into action?

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

I am sorry you feel the need to attack the government all the time. Conservatives have always promoted flat rate taxes that penalise people on low incomes. VAT. Poll Tax to name 2.

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

I think you will find this thread is in support of our labour mp. The tories also got rid of the poll tax. I feel sorry that you live 18 years in the past. The rest of us will continue to debate the present and future.

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How two faced can this man get, the local Labour Party spent local election after local election attacking the Tory Government, now all they want is to distance themselves from Brown an Co, well Graham your in it up to your neck old son, your finger prints are all over it, you campaigned for this goverment, you got this government, now take the consequences for your own actions

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

You were not supporting him, you were using it to attack the Government. Why did you start the thread. You're a loony like the ones we had in the 80's. Playground politics that belong in the past.

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I gave an honest answer, quite the opposite of two-faced. No-one gets the government they want, just one they prefer more than the other.

Why don't you realise your just embarrassing yourself with your crass comments.

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

Why do you not understand that I can agree or disagree on something because of my personal beliefs and not just because of the party I am a member of? I started the thread to inform people that their MP was trying to save lower income workers from 100% tax increases. I post when I disagree with what Greg Pope has done, so it's only fair that when hes done something I agree with I should post that too.

It's got to the stage where you can no longer even come up with arguments, instead you just resort to trying to defame my character even when I'm posting positive things about our MP.

Have you actually contributed anything to this thread?

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

This thread was very serious until the most childish politician on the forum had to resort to calling people loonies and bringing up the past as a way of distracting people from the present disaster of what is known as Labour.

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Its you who is the embarrasment, mr know-it-all, who knows nout

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

Yes please. What can be fairer than we all pay the same?

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Does this mean you are not Grahams number one fan anymore? :rolleyes::D

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

Most certainly not! I thought he had some decent things to say at first but now he has decided to follow cyfr around threads and being directly abusive rather than giving well formed arguments. He just bores me now.

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

Don't believe everything you read, only a couple of weeks ago at the meet they were drinking beer together and chatting like old friends.

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I know, I have been told :) I have people on the inside ;)

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Really! - Strangeways or Walton? :D

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:) both! I know G jones is ok, but it's boring to read his petty replies to Cyfr's well researched threads :p

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

Perhaps Graham hasn't get three or four weeks off.

I don't think the council work to term times.;)

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Whilst you may have been able to lounge about during the holidays doing an art degree, I doubt Cyfr has had all the time in the world to do extra research if his degree is anything like mine. Cyfr ALWAYS has educated comments to make whether it is the holidays or not. Yet another low blow at someone for being a student? No Ball Games Please.

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Actually if you take the time to look through the dates of Cyfr's posts, you'll see there is a marked absence of them in term time, since September of last year.

One would hope Cllr. Jones has to earn a living, as well as going about council business, and also answering the sometimes banal questions that are put to him on here.

As for myself, I always worked every holiday. New York, Paris, Milan. It was a hard life, but someone had to do it, and earning my own money was always liberating.

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By the way, this isn't a personal dig at Cyfr.

I'd be very disappointed if he had been posting too much on here in term time, whilst in his first year at university, both from an academic and social point of view.

I've had the pleasure to have met him, and he's a thoroughly nice person.

I might be totally wrong, but I have this image in my of head of the chief Tory Boy, telling others to go home and make as much mischief before the forthcoming elections.

I'd have found it as yawn inducing if it had been the young socialists doing it, or any other political organisation.

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

They must be little people or you are big inside ;)

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

When I went to University the social life completely removed my posting but after Christmas I've started posting back here often, visiting most days.

An awful lot of my posts are during term time. The only main one that hasn't been in term time is the council tax thread which took me a few hours in the library to research. Most of the time was spent understanding how it worked, which anyone in council would presumably already know. Mr Jones always has time to reply, and had his own research - it's just that it was incorrect.

No chief Tory Boy has said anything. I come on here and post on my own merit and nobody else's. You are right, it would be yawn inducing if it were true.

I can see Blazey's point. I have posted threads which are intended to inform or spark meaningful debate, and I'm just getting attacked by a councillor for being a Conservative, calling me loony and such.

If he doesn't have the time to research something, then that's fine, simply stay away from the thread. Don't come and attack someone for the sake of it without having any debate.

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

Although I've found some of the debates quite tiring, your posts have always been well researched, and you haven't resorted to name calling. Something which can't be said of your main adversary.:rolleyes:

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...and besides, you really should count yourself very lucky to have the opportunity to question your political opponents here on Accy Web, others aren't that fortunate. As apart from our Labour M.P., and the leader of the Labour group on the council, other politicans are scarcer than hen's teeth here.:D

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

If you say so ;)

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Oh we may have them in the woodwork, we know some of them read it, but it would just be nice if they came out, so to speak, instead of hiding in the shadows, and thus showing they had the mettle Greg and Graham have shown, and also to answer their constituent's queries.

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I can understand why they don't. Anyway if you want to ask any of them a question why not phone them and ask. All their phone numbers are on the Hyndburn website.

Or you could come to our friends meeting on Thursday at 7pm Hippings Vale Community Centre. We often get some turn up.

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

Yes but we'll try and forget that foolish, and childish, thing you did.:rolleyes::D

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If I was a local politician there is no chance in hell I'd come on here either, it is so easy for things to be taken out of context and manipulated, and it just isn't worth the hassle.

Some of them seemed to have their addresses on the website too last time I looked :confused: is that really necessary?

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

The last time one of my friends phoned and tried to speak our esteemed leader he was sworn at and then hung up on.
:eek:

Re: Abolition of 10p tax band
 

Put your income into this calculator and see how much better or worse off you will be. Free UK PAYE Income Tax calculator 2008. Updated for 2008 / 2009 budget..My nett income this year will work out at 77% of my gross earnings. Exactly the same as the last three years. It all seems to prove the old belief 'What they give you with one hand, they take with the other.'