Anybody else who doesn't know who to vote for?

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Cossy, I paid higher rate and additional rate tax for years. I have done my bit, and some.

Whitewavemark2

Heaven help us if the majority of people vote on a “gut feeling

I won’t be!

Germanshepherdsmum

I have posted a graph showing the difference in income tax between the UK and Sweden. They pay a lot more tax than we do. ‘A bit’ won’t cut it. I think it’s well known here that I have paid a lot of tax over the years and I am not willing to pay more than I currently do. I certainly don’t trust Labour not to increase personal tax burdens, and strongly suspect that a wealth tax would be on the cards at some point, though of course at present that would be hotly denied.

What’s wrong with a wealth tax? Why, in a civilised country, should the very wealthy not be prepared to support those in poverty? If this tax went along with a radical welfare reform, say for example following the lead of some EU countries, if someone is offered suitable work, which they were capable of doing AND make them financially better off and then turned it down without an extremely good reason, part of their benefit would stop? I’m all for those who can work and support themselves should do so, though tbh this is a very simplistic approach and works in theory, in practice there are insurmountable barriers for many. The jobs need to be in a reasonable distance from where one lives, DWP current state within 90 mi utes travel time, each way, door to door.
Jobs need to be a single to match skills and experience of the candidates (and a massive new training programme set up to train the unemployed to fit the skills to the jobs in their local area), childcare places, and costs, are currently both a huge issue, the amount subsidised by the govt for an individual child doesn’t match nursery costs.

So much needs to be done, it’s Herculean in this area alone, then bring in the public services, teaching, nursing, GPS, etc etc it’s really a very steep curve.

Definitely Reform.

Heaven help us if the majority of people vote on a “gut feeling

Nicenanny3 Fair enough, thank you. I’m guessing you won’t be voting Reform so not to split the Tory vote? Tactical voting.

Germanshepherdsmum

I have posted a graph showing the difference in income tax between the UK and Sweden. They pay a lot more tax than we do. ‘A bit’ won’t cut it. I think it’s well known here that I have paid a lot of tax over the years and I am not willing to pay more than I currently do. I certainly don’t trust Labour not to increase personal tax burdens, and strongly suspect that a wealth tax would be on the cards at some point, though of course at present that would be hotly denied.

So effectively you’re content with the tax you pay and you accept the level of public services we have?

Well I guess Conservatives are the party of low taxes, private enterprise (not worked too well with our water services, in some cases energy, and some of our rail services) and less reliance on the state. So that all fits.

Was just asked by someone a-political "why such a quick election". I think avoiding facing the Rwanda issue is high on the list.

I agree we cant be a "Sweden" btw, was giving it as an example of how our mindset in the UK works. Massive grumbling about service provision but not willing to pay even a bit more.

It's interesting that the GE will take place just before the first plane to Rwanda takes off. Rishi Sunak's claim that 15 EU countries are now also going to implement a similar scheme is just another misleading statement. It's true that other countries are considering outsourcing asylum applications to a 3rd country but this is not the same as the Rwanda Agreement. He wants us to believe that the UK is going to be world leader. Again...

I have posted a graph showing the difference in income tax between the UK and Sweden. They pay a lot more tax than we do. ‘A bit’ won’t cut it. I think it’s well known here that I have paid a lot of tax over the years and I am not willing to pay more than I currently do. I certainly don’t trust Labour not to increase personal tax burdens, and strongly suspect that a wealth tax would be on the cards at some point, though of course at present that would be hotly denied.

Cossy

Oreo of course we not in court. I just mean reasons and the proof to back that up, even if someone just said, “it’s my gut reaction”, at least that would be some kind of reason. To just keep saying “I don’t trust Starmer” is just meaningless.

If you don’t trust Starmer ( or anyone else) then it is a gut feeling.

Labour have promised £28 billion of green investment per year by the second half of the next parliament. £20 billion of this would be ‘additional’.

Cossy

Nicenanny3

I don’t trust the Tories. I don’t trust them because they’ve lied (Partygate), they screwed the mortgage rate/housing market (Truss), they allowed people to die needlessly during Covid (throwing care home residents out of hospital, failing to act quickly enough at the beginning to stop large events, “eat out to help out”, nurses and PPE), I don’t trust them with finance because they’ve spent ££££ in “wasted” schemes (track and trace, money given to the French, the entire Rwandan debacle), they’ve backtracked on climate change.

These are just a few of the many many examples of why I won’t be voting Tory ever again (yes many years ago I supported them and voted for them!)

It’s great we are a democracy, able to choose who we want to trust, who we vote for and the freedom to debate and express views/beliefs/ethos on sites like this.

I respect your right to your own opinions, I’m simply asking “why”?

Because I don't trust them mainly on immigration, I personally can't stand Starmer, Rayner or Vyette Cooper. I actually support Reform but am thinking of voting Conservative now. So no evidence to present just a gut feeling they would not be fit to govern.

Germanshepherdsmum

I have never supported either Johnson or Truss. Johnson is an inveterate liar but I don’t like to see all Conservatives tarred by association. Truss was a truly appalling choice by party members and she wreaked great damage on the economy but she is long gone though of course the consequences of her actions will linger for a considerable time. Again, the current government ministers should not be tarred by association.

It’s inevitable though Germanshepherdsmum. People are still harking back to Tony Blair for goodness sake, and he left office 16 years ago. Johnson and Truss will be stamped on the collective memory for decades to come.

Oreo of course we not in court. I just mean reasons and the proof to back that up, even if someone just said, “it’s my gut reaction”, at least that would be some kind of reason. To just keep saying “I don’t trust Starmer” is just meaningless.

I'm personally OK with paying a bit more on my threshold income tax to give the NHS/care system a chance. Problem with a lot of UK thinking is that somehow you can have good services like in Sweden without paying for it. It doesn't add up.

I have never supported either Johnson or Truss. Johnson is an inveterate liar but I don’t like to see all Conservatives tarred by association. Truss was a truly appalling choice by party members and she wreaked great damage on the economy but she is long gone though of course the consequences of her actions will linger for a considerable time. Again, the current government ministers should not be tarred by association.

Jaxjacky

For the first time I’m uncertain and need to do some proper reading of proposed policies. LD locally have plunged our council into considerable debt with unviable housing plans decimating the countryside, so they don’t even get a look in.

Many many councils across England, I believe almost 50%, run across all parties, have a deficit budget, much of this is due to central govts cuts and a massive increase in costs of social care. Yes, a few, as with Thurrock, are guilty of poor financial planning and ill-thought out investments.

The ones coming down the line to pay for public services probably.

Freshair

I want to vote Tory because Labour will get us into a greater mess than we are now. The tax hikes are going to be crippling under labour. I trust them less than the status quo.

What tax hikes?

Many people go with the better the devil you know feeling when it comes to politics.

Nicenanny3

I don’t trust the Tories. I don’t trust them because they’ve lied (Partygate), they screwed the mortgage rate/housing market (Truss), they allowed people to die needlessly during Covid (throwing care home residents out of hospital, failing to act quickly enough at the beginning to stop large events, “eat out to help out”, nurses and PPE), I don’t trust them with finance because they’ve spent ££££ in “wasted” schemes (track and trace, money given to the French, the entire Rwandan debacle), they’ve backtracked on climate change.

These are just a few of the many many examples of why I won’t be voting Tory ever again (yes many years ago I supported them and voted for them!)

It’s great we are a democracy, able to choose who we want to trust, who we vote for and the freedom to debate and express views/beliefs/ethos on sites like this.

I respect your right to your own opinions, I’m simply asking “why”?

09:49Cossy

It's not meaningless to me I don't trust Starmer or Labour to do what they say in their manifesto and it seems a lot of other posters feel the same hence their uncertainty on who to vote for.

Cossy

Nicenanny3

09:49Cossy

You can't trust Labour or Starmer hence 'Better the Devil you Know'.

Meaningless statement and you don’t appear to be able to explain “why” or evidence your reasons?

FGS we’re not in court!