Article in the FT today
"How to hedge your finances against a future Corbyn government"
The next election might be years away, but tax advisers say clients are already focusing on the tax changes that could be introduced by a Labour government.
George Bull of RSM, the accountancy firm, says the concerns are not confined to the very wealthy. “We’re not talking here solely about the very rich. Labour party statements make it clear that those earning more than £80,000 can expect to pay higher income taxes under a Labour government.”
“The gilt market would be most at risk [from a Labour government],” says Mr Curtis, who manages UK equity investment trust the City of London. “Bond yields are incredibly low. Public debt would balloon under a Labour government which would mean yields would significantly increase.”
It is a long read article with lots of detail. My thoughts are
- if the wealthy are quite prepared to spend 4 years planning how to avoid increased taxation, it's unlikely McDonnell will raise the revenue he thinks he will get
- stock prices down means private pensions will pay out less
- a slide in sterling means inflation on anything imported, like food
- bond yields increasing means borrowing is more expensive for everyone. Companies do not borrow to invest and charge more for goods and services. Mortgage rates go up.
As always, it's the people at the bottom who I think will really suffer if McDonnell is Chancellor.