Not an election please

GG

From the policies (not the manifesto)on the LibDems' website:

"We will champion those on ordinary incomes. That's why we believe no one should pay tax if they earn less than the minimum wage. We will make the wealthiest pay their fair share by clamping down on tax dodging and ensuring that unearned wealth is taxed more aggressively than earned income."

www.libdems.org.uk/tax

gg I was also interested to listen to Shapps not answering a single question about a fairer distribution of tax. "Wealthy moi"

GG I guess the LDs are looking at the old unearned income surcharge idea? They also want to put up CGT.

Fitzy no! I mean that EARNINGS from wealth should, in my mind, be taxed at the same level as earnings from work. I don't believe anyone should be able to earn more from capital than they do from the sweat of their brow.

Thanks Daphne. I am not so sure about 'more aggressively' but perhaps we need a period of that to turn round the Conservatives vision of austerity - all on the backs of the poorer and needier - and pay down some of the debt.

I expect we will hear more as time goes by. I do appreciate Shapps had issues with the phone this morning but what an excuse for a 'caring' human being.

I probably should have said 'poor' excuse, etc., just in case I confused anyone.

Interesting discussion going on, on the back of an article in the Times I think, that T May calling an election now may have saved the Labour Party.

I have to go out now but do tell me if you pick up on what the basis of this argument is.

skwawkbox.org/2017/04/20/exclusive-coyne-may-be-dqd-but-did-right-leak-to-distract-from-corbyn-launch/

skwawkbox.org/2017/04/20/unite-suspends-gerard-coyne-over-data-breaches-broken-by-skwawkboxevolve/

GG The LDs do mean not relying so much on income to raise taxes, but shifting some of the burden to wealth, which is relatively undertaxed in the UK compared with other European countries. It would mean, for example, scrapping business rates and replacing it with land value tax. That's not the same as taxing unearned income Fitzy.

I thought that was a possibility dj, although the position still seems unclear about whether he would be able to take up the leadership, if he's won, which some people seem to think he has. Apparently, he has a team of lawyers on the case, so I guess we'll have to wait and see.

I'm concerned that the turnout was very low. Apparently, only 12% of members voted, which shows how apathetic they are.

www.independent.co.uk/voices/theresa-may-general-election-walking-holiday-alps-leadership-jeremy-corbyn-meeting-donald-trump-a7693856.html

Really, daphne, that low? Hard to believe. So 88% aren't bothered, and Coyne could end up in court. I bet he's regretting standing.

On the 19th of May, Stephen Glover stated that Teresa May "might well be the saviour of the Labour Party"
In his words "it's going to be a bloodbath" Perhaps then someone will do something to stop the complete annihilation of the Labour Party.

www.indy100.com/article/up-to-20-tory-mps-investigation-police-election-spending-2015-electoral-law-reminder-7693571?utm_source=indy&utm_medium=top5&utm_campaign=i100

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19_yf4RL133fBKscvSbID4eRKwztzY9KSI_2BMaI1bU8/htmlview?sle=true#

How to vote tactically to stop the Tories.

Petra, if he loses he will not do the honourable thing and stand down, this election gives him the opertunity to appear on tv daily with his lifelong passion , turning the party into a militant party who will demonstrate, March etc. To keep doing what he has been doing since he entered parliament . The Labour Party will be no more

Thanks Petra. I hate hearing something interesting just as I go out of the door!

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/blog/what-snap-election-means-existing-major-bills-and-policies

These are the bills currently going through parliament which will now be delayed or abandoned altogether.
Grammar school bill to be delayed, which is good.

Boundary review will not go ahead until 2022, if at all.

The tactical voting chart is really interesting Jen. Not all constituencies on it yet though.

My constituency is on the "Conservatives will win,so vote however you want" list, because it won't make any difference.

My constituency is in vote Lib list , no surprise, it has been Lib or Tory since the seventies . I wouldn't be surprised if we don't have a labour candidate this time , hope not because I will not have to decide to get back into canvassing harness

I am in a little finger off the edge and miles from the main town in my constituency but at least it is in the Labour came second list. My nearest town - my families constituency - is in one that went from Lib Dem to Tory in the last election but I couldn't move the columns on my laptop or see them all properly on my Kindle but thank you Daphne - I have found them now. The main town to which I am attached constituency-wise voted 59% out in the referendum so I don't know if they will vote Labour this time. I think it will depend if Labour manage to turn the talk towards what is important on a day to day basis. My local town - just a few miles away - voted to stay in so may go back to Lib Dem.

The top places the LDs are hoping they can regain are:

Cambridge, Lewes, Twickenham, Kingston and Surbiton, Bath, Bermondsey, Edinburgh West, Fife, Caithness, Colchester, Cheltenham, Cheadle, Portsmouth South, Cardiff Central, Oxford West and Abingdon, Bristol West.

They'll do well to hang on to Richmond Park. It depends whether the Cons have a Remain contender.

Is there a list where lib/ lab came say second or third and with tactical voting they'd win?
Greens and Labour here as well as Tory. But we are a University Town which makes a difference as well as a bit arty farty.

McClusky won