The Fisheys

Actually still living, drawing an MPs salary at the ripe old age of 80. Cannot argue, he is democratically elected, and has been 11 times I think.

Sorry if you misunderstood what was an explanation, not a suggestion. I don't seem to have suggested that the top tax rate should be nil, but something like 35% to 40%. Hope that is cleared up now.

Probably the best think to do is google "income tax tipping point." The issue is that the real high earners can usually arrange their affairs to avoid UK taxes, but people on lower incomes cannot. We can even learn from the defeated Labor govt in Oz, who increased the "tax free" ceiling to $18,000 before you pay tax. Whilst we all accept the need to pay taxes, taxes need to be seen to be fair, otherwise ultimately there is trouble. Poll Tax failed because even the people who benefited from it thought it was unfair, so Mrs Thatchers Conservatives lost the Eastbourne by election sending panic amongst her MPs, who booted her out. Her downfall had little to do with "Europe," Heseltine, Hurd, and John Major didn't really offer much change in European policy, but they all promised to repeal Poll Tax. In the early 1980s, with high tax rates, the top 10% paid 10% of the total income tax take. Once Geoffrey Howe cut the top rate to 40% this soared to 25%, leaving a smaller bill for us mere mortals. You can do any amount of research on this topic, and look in popular culture; remember the Rolling Stones and "Exile on Main Street," they had to leave the UK to avoid taxes, Ian Botham lived in the Channel Islands for a year when he had written a book, even in the 1960s, Jim Clark, and Jackie Stewart moved abroad to avoid UK taxes, more recently Lewis Hamilton did the same. Sorry I cannot give you a simple link, but if you do some digging you, like I was, will be surprised to see cutting top earners taxes actually benefits poor people. You could also make a case for abolishing NIC, as it is levied disproportionately on lower salaries, I think it is 12% up to £40,000 then it reduces to 1%, I think.

Yeh, they could always pick Kevin Rudd!

Not sure I could detest anyone I had never met, any more than I could detest a tree! Not sure I quite get the bit about "slash and burn," the coalition, (to its shame), has increased public spending. Cutting top tax rates brings in more money, and I am unaware that this fact is disputed by Labour. The only reason they brought in the 50% tax rate was party political, costing the country billions in lost tax revenues; largely borne by the poorest members of society.

I suppose in fairness he cannot have a life he chooses, his life / career is pre ordained, so he cannot exercise any real life choices. And before the usual suspects kick off whinging about how hard it must be to be a future king, remember he couldn't choose his life, the rest of us have all had to a greater, or lesser extent some choice.

Or his Dad?

I am pretty certain that you do not need a valid UK passport to enter the UK if you are a citizen. Whether you need to keep it valid as a condition of your visa here, I do not know. I would be inclined to ask DIAC directly.

Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece, aka The Pigs, are all economic basket cases. All we are seeing here is pathetic sabre rattling to divert their subjects attention away from domestic political issues..........remember General Galtieri from Argentina and the Falklands. The trouble with these fledgling democracies is that 40 or 50 years ago they were run by dictators, and / or the army, their leaders wore army uniforms, with gold braid, epaulttes, etc., and liked to be called "Your Excellency," or similar. Remember General Franco, (the Spanish prefer not to), offered to lead an army to invade Gibraltar but Hitler knew if he did the UK would end up ruling Spain PDQ. El Spanish border police are a pain in the proverbial, but frankly one gunboat and they are gone.