No Budget purdah these days. This government does not believe in a parliamentary democracy, it seems.

The £20 uplift in the Universal Credit was always declared as temporary.

? all that you have posted ❤️

Raising the minimum wage just puts more people into paying tax and makes them less eligible for universal credit. The only people to benefit are the government as they gain more tax and pay out less benefits. Prices have to go up to pay more wages, so nobody is any better off.

Why can’t we just have a simple system where anyone earning under 20k a year, just doesn’t pay any tax but neither do they receive benefits?

I just wait until the media thrash it out then select my points of interest and angst.

growstuff

Whitewavemark2

What I would like to see is less inequality in earnings, fairer taxes that contribute towards a comprehensive welfare state and high quality education.

All of that is politically possible, but not with this government.

I would like to see people being able to earn more money than they can by inheriting and investing it (especially in property). There need to be more incentives for people to invest in SMEs. Producing more of the technology needed for a greener economy would be the perfect opportunity to do that.

Your point here is something I agree with too. Interestingly there seems to be more conversation breaking through about paying tax on income from non-work/salaried areas, added to salaried/work income and taxing it all on a continuing and progressive scale.

It's not what I would call a tsunami of comments and conversation yet. However, the waves of comments are getting bigger and discussed more.

We have the largest equality gap in centuries. Something must be done, but I doubt it would be this government that would choose to do it.

growstuff

Pippa Some people are going to continue to need in-work benefits while rents remain so high. People would need to earn the current median income to be able to afford even basic accommodation. That means increasing the wages of half the population while maintaining a differential for more highly qualified jobs, which just isn't realistic. Even if everybody were to become more highly skilled/qualified, there wouldn't be the jobs for them. Somebody still has to do the unskilled work. Housing is the big sticking point for the lowest paid. The idea that the UK can become a high wage economy for everybody is wishful thinking.

I was trying not to take the thread away from the unparliamentary behaviour of this government growstuff.

If I had put it in full, what I believe is that the minimum wage should be a wage you can live on without benefits with two acceptions, the first being for housing. That probably means a real push to provide social housing for many more people or you will continue to pay private landlords increasingly for poor and inadequate housing, simply because of the current housing stock.

The other area is childcare. which I believe should be free to all - at the point of need - from zero to three. Followed by pre-school until seven (but that really is a partly different argument).

Both of the areas that come outside the possibility - at this time - of being covered by the minimum wage have been reported by bodies I trust as being outside the capability of the minimum wage being a "living" wage.

Whitewavemark2

That can be done through fairer taxes.

What do you think should be done to make taxes fairer and what changes could be made

That can be done through fairer taxes.

Whitewavemark2

What I would like to see is less inequality in earnings, fairer taxes that contribute towards a comprehensive welfare state and high quality education.

All of that is politically possible, but not with this government.

I would like to see people being able to earn more money than they can by inheriting and investing it (especially in property). There need to be more incentives for people to invest in SMEs. Producing more of the technology needed for a greener economy would be the perfect opportunity to do that.

What I would like to see is less inequality in earnings, fairer taxes that contribute towards a comprehensive welfare state and high quality education.

All of that is politically possible, but not with this government.

Pippa Some people are going to continue to need in-work benefits while rents remain so high. People would need to earn the current median income to be able to afford even basic accommodation. That means increasing the wages of half the population while maintaining a differential for more highly qualified jobs, which just isn't realistic. Even if everybody were to become more highly skilled/qualified, there wouldn't be the jobs for them. Somebody still has to do the unskilled work. Housing is the big sticking point for the lowest paid. The idea that the UK can become a high wage economy for everybody is wishful thinking.

NotTooOld

Back, to the original post though, it is wrong that we hear all this stuff in advance, I was just thinking that the other day. Who are these leakers? I think we should be told.

It is NotTooOld and those people leaking should, as the speaker said, resign. But we do not have anyone who takes responsibility in this government, it seems.

There is no public sector waste left to cut Urmstongran. There may have been in the past, but not now. We have to decide what we want; then we must be prepared to pay for it. It is a simple choice. You cannot have a Health Service as good as those on the continent and pay American style taxes for it. If you believe that those things you want to be run by the state can be run on a shoestring but still be at the level many complain about if they don't get - perhaps you would tell us how.

The Sky programme I mentioned was called the "Great Debate". They have an audience panel and some "experts" from different areas. One from business, an economist (who was refreshingly honest imo) and a politician.

Many of the experts seemed to point to the 11 years of austerity. One, if my memory serves me right, said that we had not had this hiatus in growth (as over the last decade) for 200 years.

Although those representing business were worried about the rise in minimum income there was some talk of the need for productivity.

In my opinion, if the government truly believes, as Johnson has said, in both a high wage economy and the "market place" they would put the minimum income at a level people could live on. They would then support businesses with grants and loans. Nobody should need in-work benefits. If they do our economy is exploiting them. When we are out our glass of wine should not cost less because someone is not paid enough to live on.

Beating up the low income part of the population, as they have over the last 11 years, has been destroying our steady growth and threatens our future.

Back, to the original post though, it is wrong that we hear all this stuff in advance, I was just thinking that the other day. Who are these leakers? I think we should be told.

I have got to the stage where I would believe in Santa Claus, rather than any MP, which ever side they bed down on.

Urmstongran, do you object to equality, sustainability, net zero, diversity and inclusivity?
With regard to paying taxes, there were thirty millionaires who challenged the government to tax them fairly and not to let lower income families bear the brunt
Sadly the government weren't interested in what they had to say

It's an idea Urnmstongran. So then we could have an unequal, unsustainable, emissions producing public sector full of people who are all exactly the same.

Doesn't really sound like a great place to work, a good example to society or a crucible of innovation and effectiveness.

Or we could just treat people fairly, look after the environment and billionaires could pay their tax.

I think instead of raising taxes, Conservatives should be in the business of cutting public sector waste. Start by sacking anyone whose job title includes any of the following words - equality, sustainability, net zero, diversity, inclusivity, (not an exhaustive list).

What Tory government has put us through in last 11 years with austerity what they are offering so far is trivial Since 2010 100 billion has been taken from local councils.

They won't give what is actually needed.

Take the climate emergency they won't do anything.

Sadly, Linslass, for all the leaks, which most commentators believe is entirely for electioneering, we will not actually know the significance of them until we hear the full details on Wednesday.

There is a good programme on Sky at the moment and the "audience" has just asked if the limiting of the triple lock is a betrayal of pensioners. You have to ask who, other than the extreme Johnson fans, believe it isn't.

How can we shame Employers into paying decent wages, so that people don’t have to claim benefits. Something quite wrong here. Of course if you are a single man on low wages, or woman, you get no help whatsoever.

Exactly Urmstongran - it's on Wednesday and it's to parliament. So why all the leaks and skirting the parliamentary purdah.

And why the personal attacks - bashing is a very derogatory word - when all I am asking for is a return of parliamentary democracy. A parliamentary democracy which no one, at any point, every, has voted to change.

Here is a link to what was said by Mr Speaker.

news.sky.com/story/budget-2021-furious-speaker-sir-lindsay-hoyle-suggests-ministers-should-resign-over-raft-of-announcements-before-rishi-sunaks-address-to-mps-12444553

The Autumn Budget will be the second financial statement made by the Chancellor this year, following the Spring Budget on March 3. Mr Sunak will present his Budget to Parliament on Wednesday October 27.