Steady

Budget Summary

I despair at the state of the UK and UK politics generally. Probably global politics. Was that even a UK budget? I’ve already forgotten most of it. I don’t need to remember much because I know most of what was said was just hot air.

  • A new British ISA – I know this isn’t going to happen, within 1 week it’s already been placed on the back burner until 2025.
  • An attack on holiday property entrepreneurs from 2025 – I’ve no idea who else will be buying these former run down properties. I expect seaside towns and other beauty spots to decline without this inward investment. Formerly poor areas will now lose a large part of their much needed tourist economy. Sure local property prices will become more affordable as “out of towners” retreat, but without those tourist jobs the locals will not have the income to be able to buy a local property.
  • Non-Doms told to leave in 2025 – like the Conservative Party even has a say in this. they will be toast probably by November this year. It was always Labour policy to do this. I’ve looked at this area in some detail. Non-Doms do pay tax, pay VAT on their outsized purchases and stump up oodles of stamp duty land tax on multi-million pound property purchases. Non-Doms also employ a small army of accountants, solicitors, financial advisors and investment managers (not me), cleaners, gardeners, hairdressers, manicurists, dog walkers and property maintainers. All of which will lose customers – meaning lower VAT receipts and lower income tax on profits. They are not tax dodgers, just because the investment income they earn and leave abroad isn’t also taxed in the UK. Where does any political party expect to replace all of this lost revenue?
  • Plus some other drivel set to come into force in 2025 & 2026. Who believes any of that will happen with a change in Government?
  • The NHS is broken, let’s throw another £3.6bn at it in the future (a future which we are all sure doesn’t include a Conservative Party). More empty promises.
  • Oh yes – there was the bribe of a reduction of 2% in NI for those working below the age of 66. The trouble is, 1 in 5 eligible “workers” do not work in the UK or register for benefits of any kind. They don’t pay tax or NI. Obviously it is the 4 in 5 that do work that pay all of the taxes. Will £10 a week per worker change any voters mind? I doubt it.
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