
David Gauke: Is Britain really set to become a low tax, less regulated, free trading, buccaneering country?
Despite a surprisingly liberal migration policy, the bulk of the post-Brexit evidence so far suggests not.
Despite a surprisingly liberal migration policy, the bulk of the post-Brexit evidence so far suggests not.
The Government can’t deliver levelling up without more supply-side change, localism and public service reform.
Evidence does not suggest Britain is at the sweet spot on the Laffer Curve where raising it will cut revenue, nor that doing so will harm investment.
Plus: Say what you like about Trump, but he had a better slogan than Clinton. And: Sunak’s budget was disappointing.
The Budget was, if truly honest, a sign that the Government shuns spending cuts and embraces tax rises – which is ultimately unsustainable.
The Prime Minister listened supportively, but jiggled his right knee up and down in a manner suggestive of unbearable mental tension.
Conservative messaging implies an implicit belief that there are no major state functions ripe for reform in any fiscal repair.
It will probe whether or or not Sunak can prepare the country for that future – and perhaps succeed Johnson himself, “one fine day”.
But Dodds also says that she “would be concerned at additional taxes on businesses right now, clamping down on confidence in our recovery.”
We need to have a debate about which taxes are least damaging to economic growth. Over the long term, corporation tax ranks as being one of the worst.
Plus: Have you got your popcorn ready for Salmond’s appearance before a committee of the Scottish Parliament this lunchtime?
One of an occasional series of articles that ConservativeHome is publishing in advance of the Budget.
So how do we get more good, high-paying jobs into poorer areas? One specific opportunity relevant in a lot of Red Wall seats is advanced manufacturing.
Modest consolidation over decades is one thing; large increases over a Parliament would be quite another.
The public would catch up when growth slowed and redundancies rose. It would become clear that raising taxes on employers doesn’t help anyone.