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Home » Money Blog » Money Matters » Brown Clobbers Drivers with New Fuel Tax
Brown Clobbers Drivers with New Fuel Tax
By Nic Cicutti
Dec 1, 04:43 PM
When does a VAT cut on fuel turn into a tax con instead? The minute Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling unveiled yet another grubby scheme to set their mitts on our money, that’s when.
It all happened last week when the Government announced that it would be cutting VAT from 17.5% to 15%. For millions of motorists, this must have seemed like great news.
After all might not all want to go and splurge out as the Chancellor intends us to, but any cut in tax is always welcome – and the one thing many of us are guaranteed to spend money on is petrol or diesel for our cars.
VAT on fuel is generally applied at a 17.5% rate to both the amount charged by suppliers themselves and also the fuel duty of 50.35p a litre charged on every litre that we buy. So if a litre of unleaded costs about 75p including tax, once you add VAT on top the total bill comes to about 88.12p.
So the thought of paying 2.5 percentage points less in VAT would effectively mean a saving of about £1.50 for a typical tank of unleaded. Except that the Government was never likely to be as generous as all that.
What the Chancellor did instead was to cut VAT by the amount promised – and then he added an extra 2p in duty on every litre of fuel. VAT at 15% is then levied on top of that.
The AA has calculated that this will be the first of three tax rises on petrol between now and January 1, 2010. In April next year, fuel duty will go up a further 1.84 pence a litre and then the whole litre price will go up 2.5% at the start of 2010 when VAT returns to its previous level.
We will, of course, have to see whether the government scraps the 2p a litre increase in fuel duty that it imposed as of this morning. But I wouldn’t hold my breath, given its past record in levying stealth taxes.
Even worse, there are some groups who will actually be worse off as a result of the tax changes on fuel.
For example, if you are VAT-registered and use your car or van for work, you could always claim back the entire VAT payable on that element of your bill.
But the 2p increase announced last week plus the additional 1.84p from next April, a total of 3.84p a litre, can only be offset against earnings. So you still have to pay a large slice of it.
According to the Freight Transport Association (FTA), this amounts to a rise in costs worth an additional £533m a year.
Astonishingly, this is being presented to all of us as a great tax giveway. What a bunch of con merchants.
User Comments
Robert John Hutchings 31 December 2008, 19:38
Everyone that I spoke to about politics back in ’97 said that Labour were the party to vote for.I warned that ‘it WON’T get better’.It is not which ‘colour’ runs the club,the rules of the game have changed,and now that the UK is no longer the ‘workhouse’ or ‘slave-master’ of the world,we the public are reaping the ‘rewards’ of our forefather’s exploitation of the rest of the world. As the ‘common man’ multiplies in number AND level of education,so there must be ‘less for everyone’ If you think it will be sad for ‘our children’,consider this,have[/are] we not wasted[wasting] our children’s heritage with our own thoughtless greed ?
Pam Sutton 10 December 2008, 00:43
Why don’t the great British public take a leaf out of the French and march on London and force the labour goverment to resign what has happened to us all.
We have let this goverment take away our voice with their petty laws, they are taking away our freedom of speach, taxed us to the hilt, taken away perental control, and slowley handing us over to the crackpots in Brussel’s. Come on lets find our voice again and force this goverment out before it is to late.
Teresa Fraser 3 December 2008, 22:02
I am the worst off I have ever been thanks to this government. They have got to go. I almost threw up when I hear Mandelson was being made a Lord. Anyone else been sacked twice and then given a gift like this? So out of touch with reality.
a.l 3 December 2008, 21:12
they are all as bad as each other, but i think we all need to get rid of labour surley the others cant do any worse than bloody labour have . can they ? what ya reckon ?
DEAN WILKS 3 December 2008, 20:58
Please,Please lets get rid of labour.I for one cannot stand this rubbish any more. By the way does anybody know anyone who would admit to voting labour now.
Shin 3 December 2008, 20:43
That’s why this government will not get my next vote. They hand it to you in one hand and take it back in the other. B******D’s!!!!
Mark Harris 3 December 2008, 16:30
Many people complain about the cost of fuel and yet there are petrol stations within just a few miles radius that charge up to 5p a litre more than other local petrol stations and yet there are always people at these stations filling up costing up to £3 more for a 60 litre tank than had they filled up elsewhere. OK if you are about to conk out of petrol, fair enough, but while there are people stupid enough to keep on paying the higher prices, these garages will always keep on charging more thank you very much. We can complain about the govenments taxation on fuel but what’s the point of complaining if you don’t care about filling up at the more expensive petrol stations. Even when petrol prices were at their peak recently and we all complained at that, there were still people paying 2,3,4,5p a litre more than they needed to. Rip off Britain? Stupid Britain!
graham cudworth 3 December 2008, 09:42
In response to john brooke quite honestly i find your comment about me offensive . The tories under Thatcher solved the problems with the unions by destroying our manufacturing industry,attacking anyone likely to disagree with her. i well remember the miners strike and the way she used the police as a blunt instrument, the poll tax fiasco and the privatisation of all our utilities such as water ,electricity etc. We now have the ridiculous situation where our vital services are owned by companies from outside the UK, The money we pay in bills now go to foreign companies and share holders instead of government funds. the funds from council house rents has dried up since she forced councils to sell their rented homes.this is why Taxes and council tax rise, Labour is at fault for doing nothing about it in 11 years in office and using stealth taxes to make up the short fall. The current problems in the banking and mortgage lending sector are due to selfish greed and the Thatcherism belief that the fat cats were untouchable and that money is king. Really are the current group of tory mischief makers in waiting likely to be any better?
Simon 3 December 2008, 09:37
The sooner Labour is out the better. Since coming to power, I have lost my final salary pension, No wage increase for the last 6 years, seen jobs go to foreign workers and we (400) are now being made redundant.
With the amount of taxes we are now being forced to pay, what’s the point in working? You can’t blame the dole scroungers, why should anyone work when you are better off at home every day laughing at the likes of us!
The only problem is that most of us will loose our homes we have worked so blooming hard to get.
They have sold all our gold supplies at a franction of their worth, allowed foreign energy companies to rip us off and the goverment have just stood back and watched.
The goverment go on about global warming but apart from taxing everything that’s not nailed down, what have they actually done? Let manufacturing in Britain go to the dogs.
Brown out now please>
Richard Bradshaw 3 December 2008, 09:30
I have friends who live in council houses, don’t work (have never worked) and who are comfortable, yet for those of us who are hard working and pay our own way (and theirs) its just one slap in the face after another from this government. Anyone can see this labour government is on its way out and that all they are doing now is cluthching at straws. If the best interests of the country are at all on their list they would admit they ve messed up and step aside and let someone start “trying” to put it right again. General election please!!!!
Sam 3 December 2008, 08:56
I believe this country is believed to be a proud and hard working country through out the world, but also I believe we are the most laughed at for putting up with this narrow minded goverment. I am only 27 but I remeber thatcher getting marched out of Downing street and not having a clue why. By looking at the present goverment I feel they are the short sighted ones, sure they keep getting voted back in but I believe this is because many people choose not too vote allowing the vote to go to the majority. I hear of our hard working Armed Forces dieing every day for something that we should not of got involved with in the first place, being run down by peoples words as if its there choice that they are there. Can you imagine how much these worthless wars have cost our country not only in money but integrity and upstanding on the world stage not to mention the thousands of people it has effected by killing famillies Dads, Mums, Brothers, Sons, Nephews etc and we call them soldiers they are much more then that. The people need to start running this country as we are supposed to is that not the idea of a goverment anyway. Please start to be bothered about your society, stop your children from going down the wrong way, clean up our streets and dont leave it to other people to sort out. Lets stop blaming other people and take action on it, I am not a very educated person and I would never throw my advantages in other peoples face like some people have here commenting on peoples grammer and spelling, this shows people need to change and stand up for what they believe and feel. Use your vote and make it count, realise why you are voting for that party and tell your family and friends how can you moan if you dont even vote. As for imigrants I am the same, I am not prejudice or Racist, but I feel this is not an acceptable situation, there is fair and then there is fair, would it be fair for me to go to another country and set up a church in the center of there capital, could I take advantage of there welfare system, if they even have one. Could I get free care in there hospitals, would I be given a house these standards need to be mirrored all over the world if they are to be accepted here, all these other countries obviously see something wrong with that as they dont offer it. I hope this doesnt offend as it wasnt meant too I am an opened minded person but I am entitled to my opinion as you are. Peace and Love.
Lyndsey 3 December 2008, 08:30
What ever happened !!!
If you worked hard you had money if you didn’t and lived off social you where skint couldn’t afford holidays cars etc.
I was a teenage parent paid for myself to go back to college stayed at my mums so I could afford to, while working a part time job just to pay for childcare never had any money(which you would expect) now 12yrs later I live with my husband and both have good jobs have our own mortgaged house!! got a baby and I’m in the same place no money while all my mates you stayed in there council places are better off, getting everything paid for them even college courses and help with childcare to go there !!! Its all gone nuts you even get money to help you out when on benefits if you have another child sure grants etc plus child tax credits we’d love another child but can’t as no way I can stop working thanks to rise in living
We need some proper working people in goverment again who understand are doing it to help not to try and make money out of us if companies are having to do redundancies as got no money why can’t we make some mps redundant not as if they do much but cost us money and use us to get second homes!!!
steven vincent 3 December 2008, 08:15
I think we should all do what the dole scroungers do and get every bit of cash out of the goverment we can, My wife and myself have been entitled to working tax credit for 3 years but have not claimed it because we felt we did not need it, guess who is going to put a backdated claim in now.
ken 3 December 2008, 06:46
I recieved a letter from the csa last week telling me there sending in bailifs if i dont pay them 5000 pound my account was closed 4 years ago and fully paid up ive heard nothing from them in all that time allthough ive always lived in the same house . anyone else suddenly finding made up bills from diffrent things they were told were closed the goverments desperate and they will screw all of us anyway they can. has your buissines been audited this year??
Tim Mather 3 December 2008, 01:40
I remember when a 90 year old lady refused to pay £20 on her council tax, then spent a couple of weeks inside a prison cell!! I also remember when John Prescott did’nt pay council tax for a few years (fell behind) on a few properties, owed over £20,000 then was let off!?? err….why didnt he go to jail!? or maybe thats just our government system!! taxes too high, a corrupt government! no wonder this country has problems. I know lets sponsor every country for the eurovision, 2012 olmpics, invite every imagritant into the UK…. pay crap wages, invent taxes…we pay your money! you dont want it to go the way it did with the poll tax years!!!….riots!!
I cant wait until Labour sling there hooks. Come on Obama…….
George W Bush bye bye!
Simon Waywell 2 December 2008, 23:49
It’s all about the numbers, NHS prob has gone quiet, and banks get priority, what about the bank we the people own, but are run by the government for the government. Medieval tax is still here, but done on computers and child like meetings, instead of the kings men on horse back.
What about the foreign people who come to stay, they work for a year get all our benefits etc pay tax like you and me BUT!!! Unlike you or me if they decide they don’t want to stay in our country, we the Government give them the tax they have been paying back in a lump sum, we are talking £1000’s per person to pay debts, off for their families abroad, etc etc, then a fortnight later come back over to work and live in the UK. Only to go back, around a year later.
It seems only the common folk are being made fools of again, and having to put up with the system, and its tax’s and the flows.
From the list of comments I think allot of us are wanting a change and to be a UK again.
I’m not a racist or prejudice, but when you know stuff like this goes on, it feels like a kick in the teeth.
LG 2 December 2008, 23:24
Can someone please explain why there is now such a huge difference between unleaded and diesel prices? There used to be about a 5p per litre difference and it is now as high as 15p difference.
D Rice 2 December 2008, 23:21
Yet again it shows that the goverment thinks that the average british tax payer is thick and will not spot their underhanded tax rises. Surley its about time we stood up to this as we pay our taxes that indirectly pay their wages.I was going to change my car to LPG but I have not seen any decrease in price for the past few months even as unleaded and diesel have fallen.In the past the unions would strike for fair treatment or pay. Its about time we all went on strike and didnot pay our taxes then where would they be. We as the british tax payers are able to bail out the unregulated banks to the tune of billions of pounds but we cannot even keep our old and frail warm in the winter..
Why should we continue to work if they think they can bleed us dry.
Tom 2 December 2008, 23:17
I really think there should be a pettition on this, back stabbing, underhanding way that the government is thiveing our hard earnd money yet again.
DOWN WITH LABOUR.
John Brooke 2 December 2008, 23:11
Is Graham Cudworth allowed access to a computer from a Mental hospital?
Does he not remember how the unions held this country to ransome?
The miners bled this country dry until Mrs. Thatcher put them in there place.
She was a great politician not like the greasy Blair and Brown.
Brown with his 10% tax fiasco
Now trying to con us with the Vat on petrol.
Wake up Cudworth and start taking some new pills as the ones the institution give you are not working.
ron 2 December 2008, 22:47
the rich get rich and those on the bred line get nothing.bring back robin hood.
those in power are only puppets they dont care about us that work hard for peanuts
they just want fame and fortune.
what is this world comming too greed and yet more greed this goverment sucks they are like leeches.
joan (tyneside) 2 December 2008, 22:34
I have read all the comments regarding this article and it certainly has set the cat among the pigeons. What riles me though is the short sightedness of certain writers. Everytime that Labour has been in power and that is going back to when they bludgeoned their way in before the 1939-1945 war was over. They always have dropped us into the preverbial sh———. and it has been up to the other party to clear up the mess, but the typical British Voter has such a short memory, they vote the wreckers back’ believing their lies that you can get something for nothing.
Up to not so many years ago LABOUR was always running to their old ally the Communist USSR and look at the state Communism was in. COME ON BRITONS WHERE IS YOUR BACKBONE, STAND UP FOR YOUR PRINCIPLES AND GET THESE IDIOTS OUT.
joan (tyneside) 2 December 2008, 22:27
I have read all the comments regarding this article and it certainly has set the cat among the pigeons. What riles me though is the short sightedness of certain writers. Everytime that Labour has been in power and that is going back to when they bludgeoned their way in before the 1939-1945 war was over. They always have dropped us into the preverbial sh———. and it has been up to the other party to clear up the mess, but the typical British Voter has such a short memory, they vote the wreckers back’ believing their lies that you can get something for nothing.
Up to not so many years ago LABOUR was always running to their old ally the Communist USSR and look at the state Communism was in. COME ON BRITONS WHERE IS YOUR BACKBONE, STAND UP FOR YOUR PRINCIPLES AND GET THESE IDIOTS OUT.
Ray Hutchins 2 December 2008, 21:33
From the standard of the spelling and grammar of many of the comments made on this subject, it would seem that Mr Brown and his colleagues (May God rot their little red socks) should be raising taxes still further to pay for yet more education.
graham cudworth 2 December 2008, 21:21
yes,yet another stealth tax,another con trick by a government who thinks we are all too stupid to realise what really happening..BUT does any one honestly think the tories would be any different? as someone who remembers all too well the destructive policies of Thatcher and Major I doubt it. the tories devastation of british industry and their promotion of selfish,material attitudes for the individual coupled with their relentless and regardless support for the big financial institutions is largely resposible for the mess we are in now.
andrew 2 December 2008, 20:27
get rid of robbing labour we will all end up paying for it in the long run
Mick 2 December 2008, 20:25
Once again we see more lies and deciet from Government that has brought nothing but doom and gloom to the workers of this country. The very people who pay their fat cat wages and pensions they treat like morons and dirt. Lets get this bundling lot out. But alas I feel it is to late, the country is going down faster than the Titanic. Never ever will our family ever vote Labour again
G 2 December 2008, 20:23
“Brett 2 December 2008, 19:44
Antony the mess was made 29 years ago with our dear Maggie. So who are you going to put in power instead?”
Just how many years do Labour need in power before they take some responsibility for the total mess we are in?
Sorry but you can’t look over your shoulder blaming others after this long in power – book stops with Labour. As for ‘who else’ – you are sitting on your fingers my friend with that attitude :-)
paul 2 December 2008, 20:04
i would not trust any politician and i have never voted for any party as for diesel being higher than petrol the goverment encouraged people to buy diesel cars as they were cleaner than petrol and better for the enviroment so everyone started to buy diesel cars then the penny dropped hang on a minute we are losing revenue on diesel here goverments answer i know lets make diesel more exspensive than petrol bring in more money they even increased the price of lpg whatever we use a lot of the goverment will increase or find a stealth tax for it nothing has improved under labour and no other party would do any better i say DONT VOTE
Calum 2 December 2008, 19:49
This is an absolute con by the Government! What’s worse is the duty we pay on fuel! It needs to be halved or more. If we did that, the economy would find itself in a better position over night. People will have an extra couple of quid in their pockets. Suppliers can start to drop the price of all thier products. We then spend more on the cheaper products as we have more money in our pockets from cheaper fuel and cheaper products! Who’s up for joining me in a revolution against the polititians! Put them all on trial for anything we can find on them!
Brett 2 December 2008, 19:44
Antony the mess was made 29 years ago with our dear Maggie. So who are you going to put in power instead?
anthony taylor 2 December 2008, 19:39
When are we going to wake up in this country on not just the goverment over spending of our money but the poor services we get the creeping loss of our freedom’s and the lie after lie i for one have had as much as i can take of this waste of a goverment. They seem to be taking more and more for no return i am now in a worse financal state now then when at college 12 years ago and i have no morgage or bank loans. We should march as a country to parliment and downing street AND DEMAND THIS GOVERMENT GO BY VOTE OR BY FORCE and claim our once great country back LETS MARCH LETS MARCH POWER TO THE PEOPLE
Russ Gwynne 2 December 2008, 18:48
Is it just me, or does anybody else think that the “credit crunch” is a bit suspect? For a start, it had already been given a name before the majority of us were aware of what was going on…Billions of pounds of bail out money given to banks at the taxpayers expense…Does anybody really think that money will re-appear in our favour? The majority of “those in the know” seem to have set the date within the January-April 2010 timeframe as the point at which the recession will be over…How do they know this? I am prepared to go out on a limb and say that I, and others that I have discussed this with, think that the cash crisis has been DELIBERATELY ENGINEERED. For what reasons I’m unsure, whether it’s to cover up overspending and the related shortfalls, or maybe some crafty means of gaining more control, but whatever the reasons, the situation smells bad. I’m sure we’ll find out from some discarded laptop on a train in the not too distant future!
The VAT reduction was very well dressed as a huge favour to us all, but to the average Joe in the street it doesn’t mean much, and this extra stealth tax on fuel is another sneaky blow to the country.
People are angry, people are getting restless, how much longer is it going to be before the public start to strongly protest? Using your vote doesn’t seem to do the trick, maybe the demonstrators and protesters in Bangkok had the right idea!!!
Mick 2 December 2008, 18:38
I notice that some of the comments below are aimed at slagging the Labour party off. This is about fuel duty hikes, it doesn’t matter who’s in power, Labour, Tory, Lib dem. They’ve all got their hands in our pockets, some just reach in deeper than others. What really p****s me off is that they think we are all to bloody stupid to realise it!!!
KW 2 December 2008, 17:47
It’s easy to blame the Government for what is a world recession created by the greed of financiers & the banks.
The truth is no matter what political party should find themselves in power, we would still be in the same situation & unpopular policies would have to be implemented to try & rectify the economy, that’s a fact.
However what the Government is doing, I believe, would be far less painful than if the Tories were in power, where services would probably be under attack. People want a decent NHS service, a decent education service etc.; but these things do not come for free. If the Tories were in power today, cuts to these services & others would probably be inevitable, going on their past record.
I for one can remember the last Tory Government, millions out of work, public utilities sold off, interest rates in double figures. Good news for those Tory supporters with money to invest who sought & got a good return – not so good for ordinary working people conned into buying a measly number of shares or having bought into the Tory dream of buying & owning their council houses, then having to find the money to pay ever increasing mortgage rates. (I wonder who gained from that, oh yes of course the building societies & banks, surprise, surprise!)
If fuel increases are not to your liking then think about using your car less. Is that 2-mile journey to the local shops or the school run really necessary when you can easily walk or use other means of transport. I’ve thought how I can use my car less & have benefited financially & in the personal health of myself & kids & yes I admit I hate not using my car as much.
Get real & get used to it, the remedy for economic recovery is going to hurt, whatever persuasion of Government is running the country.
diddy dave 2 December 2008, 17:37
one way to beat the oil companies and the oil producing nations from reducing us all to paupers is to start producing hydrogen which can fuel cars and lorries and also be used for other purposes. hydrogen is obtained from water and with three quarters of the world covered with it there will be no shortage. so come on you scientists and others, lets start getting our thinking caps on and do something!!!! by the way hydrogen does not produce harmfull omissions when consumed.
Rob - Plymouth 2 December 2008, 17:21
If people want the governmant out ( and lets face it, is there a better option at the moment??) then they should vote for someone else instead of the Fox’s of the world (above) droaning on saying I didnt vote because…..blah….blah….
Ste 2 December 2008, 16:55
Is there anybody surprised by all this, this country has gone to the dogs, but before anybody starts slagging of the goverment, everybody needs to look at themselves.
As always the people who don’t get into trouble with debt and credit cards like other greedy prats end up suffering, people who go on holidays with credit cards, buying TVs they don’t need, gambling all there money, no wonder the country’s in a mess
I’m like the next person i like to have a good time, go out, holidays, nice car, but I’ve never lived above my means Never used a credit card, only on holiday,
Everybody’s gone consumer mad, everybody’s slagging labour off, but it makes no difference who’s in power, (TORIES, LIB DEMS, BMP, ANYBODY) , the goverment has got to get the money back somewhere but as usual I’m the one who’s got to suffer, this country’s doomed and it serves everybody right
david 2 December 2008, 16:49
The only way to get labour out is to get up and go vote for someone else, all these that say they arnt voting is like giving labour your vote!!!!!. think about it, who is the competition if no one votes against them, the same few morons who vote labour every time will always be there to add their support, then they are elected again.
everyone should be made to vote if they are elegible to do so, with a fine or some penalty if they dont, then the election would be a true reflection of the countrys feelings.
xx 2 December 2008, 16:47
As petrol and diesel is causing huge environmental problems i think it is only fair that huge duty and taxes are taken from it in an attempt to get people to use their vehicles less.
The current climate as much as people would like to…. cannot be blamed on Gordon Brown, fyi the whole world is suffering from a depression/ recession whatever you want to call it due to over zelous behaviour from mainly the banks over the last 5 to 10 years when the markets were stable.
I for one hope and pray that the Tories won’t get the next election. God help us then, we’ve already privatised everything what can we sell off next? I for one believe that following the recession of the 80’s labour have managed to repair huge problems and got the economy back to a fantastic position allowing many to make a lot of money on share and the housing prices. Unfortunately a downward turn was inevitable, its not that bad and it won’t last forever, so what if we can’t have 2 holidays abroad and purchase everything we want now….. it will do people good to cut back on the consumer obession we have.
Tom 2 December 2008, 16:29
I have asked this before but haven’t had an answer yet. Why does the price of diesel not reflect the same price as 15 months ago when it was only 2p more expensive than petrol. Petrol is now at 2007 prices but diesel isn’t, it’s 14p more expensive and with this news it will be even more. To my knowledge tax on diesel hasn’t increased independently of petrol, so why the huge difference. I know that diesel is cheaper to produce and cleaner for the environment so by government rules on emissions tax in theory it should be taxed less not more. By the way, I don’t buy into the “it’s Labours fault” thing. The Tories were, and will be again, every bit as bad. HEAVEN HELP US when they get their grubby mitts on power.
vicx1967 2 December 2008, 16:11
Why don’t pepole do something about this government, STOP VOTING FOR THEM!!!!
I remember as a child the state of this country when Labour was in charge. (1970s), strikes, powercuts job losses, I see it going the same way.
Liam Sizer 2 December 2008, 16:02
I’m no lover of this (“Labour”??????) government but I am suprised by just how short peoples memories are. No government ever tells the truth about its tax raising plans as we always end up paying more tax every time they make a change. I’m sorry you dedicated Tory lovers, it’s true, whether you like it or not, they all do the same thing. They give with one hand and take a little bit more with the other!!!!
Laurence Jacoby 2 December 2008, 15:58
What can we really expect of this grand thief and his lackey, Brown will remembered as the biggest thieving, lying chancellor this country ever had and the worst prime minister. God may forgive him, our children and grandchildren won’t.
tony r 2 December 2008, 15:58
i bet the so called elected mp,s have a lovely xmas on our expence and will be getting a nice bonus well nice work boys your still screwing the country, legal gangsters or what
matthew jones 2 December 2008, 15:54
the british people cannot win they want us to spend more so they cut VAT by 2.5%, most peole in the uk drive so the money they would save is now gona be spent on fuel so drivers are no better off. its a case of the gverment saying one thing and meaning the oppisite. get rid off gorden brown and darling.
fox 2 December 2008, 15:35
i am 37years old and never voted because every mp tells lies so once again the poor get poor and rich get rich i might as well sell the cars and be much better off
WILLIAM MEAD 2 December 2008, 14:20
A5%RISE ON 100 IS 5POUNDS BUT ON 5000 ITS 500 POUNDS SWOP ROUND GIVE US 500 POUNDS AND THEM 5 POUNDS WE WOULD THEN HAVE MORE MONEY TO SPEND AND EVERYONE WOULD BE HAPPIER AND ALSO THE ECOMONY WOULD BE BETTER OFF.
s.marshall 2 December 2008, 14:03
Les,Yes i thought this was comming 3 years ago when having a chat with my Farther “why not buy your own house instead of renting” he said.My reasoning was that i thought things were going tts up.I realize things go in cycles but i thought this time it was worse because we had already sold the Crown jewels to get us out of the last Depression and there’s not alot left.Any way i bought a house had a baby now lost my job and can’t afford the Mortgage.What really hurts is if I was renting The Rent Would Be paid by the Gove but if you bought your own Home then you get 0.At least for 6months then it will be to late.
Anyway if we could see it coming what were the mps doing?mmmmmmmmmm
Tom d 2 December 2008, 13:32
BROWN MUST GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! tHIS MAN AND HIS BUNCH OF CORRUPT COWBOYS ARE NOTHING OTHER THAN PROFESSIONAL THIEVES.
CASSIE 2 December 2008, 13:14
the brown government along with the previous government as i see it are not there for the people of this country they are there for them selves lets face it do you ever hear of them having to shop for lower quality foods or put an extra layer on to keep warm as they cannot afford to put the heating on i think not and as for them driving in a car that is not the size of a truck with a fuel tank to match thats a laugh they tell us to cut down live green well i dont see them doing that the phrase that springs to mind is they should practice what they preach when are they going to realise that you cant carry on take take take its greedy and egotistical take a wage cut across the board get on the bus and trains and go to work like everyone else is being told to stop giving the people of the country veiled threats that they will suffer if they do not dance to the tunes you say wake up and smell the coffee you have ballsed up big time sort it out where people do not suffer because of your bad management and incompitance either that or GET OUT AND LET THE PEOPLE MAKE BRITAIN GREAT ONCE MORE
Tom d 2 December 2008, 13:12
As far as am concerned Gorden Brown and his band of pirates are nothing other than a bunch of professional thieves. This Goverment must GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Les Cooper 2 December 2008, 13:05
Surely many must have seen this coming! Of course government’s package is a BIG CON – propaganda, spin or whatever else you want to call it, too many MP’s in Westminster have secured their financial future at our expense and lack desire to do other than fragment society and take us all for one very expensive ride.
Keir Hardie once said that politicians do not respond to argument – ONLY PRESSURE. Is this the clue? Between now and March 2010 a General Election has to be called. THINK ABOUT IT!
mick 2 December 2008, 12:34
the reason our fuel costs are so high is because of the amount of taxes added by the government, fuel, cigarettes and alcohol are all taxed twice, first they add the duty on and then they add on the vat which means that we are paying tax on tax, if they added the vat on first and then the duty, fuel prices would decrease by at least 8p per litre, cigarettes by about 30-35p for 20 and a bottle of spirits by about 50p. Anyone with half a brain knows that if you increase transport cost you increase the price of everything, as far as I can see the only people that are going to gain from the decrease in vat, are the people with plenty of money to spend ie:- the politicians ROLL ON THE REVOLUTION bring back the guillotine
jim wolff 2 December 2008, 12:03
The goverment need to stop lineing thier own pockets and start lineing the pockets of the people of this country, after all it’s us tax payers that pay thier wages so maybe they should take a pay cut that way taxes could stay down.
This goverment and any future goverment need to go back to basics and scrap the stupied ideas they have in raising money.
The reason why no one spends in this country is because no one has any money because what the goverment do is give you something in one hand and take it with back again by taxing something eles.
can the goverment not see that it is them that is causing the increase in crime by increasing everything all the time so people don’t have money.
stop taxing peolpe on lower incomes so much and increasing vat on petrol and tax the fat cat more instead of fat cats looking after fat cats. the goverment are supposed to be here for the people of the country but do they ask us?? and do they listen?? I DON’T THINK SO. it time to stop the rich getting richer and let hard honest working people of the country have a chance for a change????
Lee Brinicombe 2 December 2008, 11:58
What a surprise the goverment are riping off the public again, and trying to make it look like they are giving us something.
As i have always said they tell you what you want to hear to get you on their side but dont follow through.
Brett leader 2 December 2008, 11:57
If I was in power I would have paid the banks the money they needed through everyones mortgage accout which works out about £40,000 for every mortgage holder. OK if you haven’t got a mortgage you don’t benifit however with better interest rates savers would benifit too. This action wouldn’t hit inflation to much as people only benifit from lower bills. I would then make a mandate for banks to re mortgage everyone that is left, So you all get a lower mortgage the banks get there money back and then most people are happy. But then you can’t please all the people all the time can you!!!!!
j coles 2 December 2008, 11:38
Never mind piffling little tax/vat changes why is no one SREAMING that as crude oil prices are now the lowest for 3 years why is the price of pump fuel where it is? We should be paying about 75p per litre now. Never mind BP & Shell coining in billions in profit at the last released figures wait till they release the figures after this fiasco!
Ricky Markham 2 December 2008, 11:38
anyone read or see the news items regarding the oil tanker that was taken over by pirates?
Britain is being run by Pirates, and our Bank accounts are what they are thieving! think about it, the country goes to war to gain stakes in the oils and resources in that country, and WE PAY FOR IT, the Banks mostly owned by foreign investors lend all their money out, we take it, lose our jobs because they cant afford to pay us, and we can’t afford to pay it back, so the government bail them out with all our tax money. so we effectively are paying the debt, yet the banks then see fit to repossess our homes claiming we aint paying them. in the end WE PAY FOR IT!!! all of it, meantime they all retire on fat pensions and upteen homes, that yet again WE PAYED FOR. at least the Fascists are blatently obvious about making gains for themselves, these bunch of petty crooks that run our country do so under the veil of ‘Democracy’.
Labour has crippled us again…… and god help anyone who has to come in and clear up after them.
I’m with that guy ^^^^ lets boycott the General Election……..it aint gonna make any difference. They do what they want in the end anyway!!!!
andy 2 December 2008, 11:36
I used to think that labour supported the poor and low paid people and that the torries were for the rich. How wrong i was. because the torries privatised all the great things that britain had, like the Dhss, the hospitals, the steel works; ect.
sending all the skill abroad, and now everyone blams the new labour goverment.
Iam 46yrs old and have been studying the goverments of this country for many years, and the conclusion that i have come up with is that all the partys we vote for are a rip off and it basically boils down to suvival, so now i dont vote and dont care. I would emigrate abroad but cant afford the airfare..
what is great about Britain well nothing anymore and thats very sad thanks maggie
Brett leader 2 December 2008, 11:35
P Pendlebury 2 December 2008, 11:01
Sorry folks – but you’re all to blame – cast your mind back ten years…..
You had better go back 29 years and thats the day this all started when the tories sold of everything that was Britain. Now we are owned by the French, Russains and any other cash rich country that wanted a slice of Britain. Short memories YES you all have. Stop blaming any one party when torries set the ball rolling and it hasn’t stopped.
You also said have people in that cared for the country and not them selfs.
Question would that be the fat cats the torries put in to run the companies they sold off??????????????
Rachel 2 December 2008, 11:15
I never vote Labour – or any of the other parties either! I always put a line straight through the card and post it. It then gets counted as a NO VOTE – if you don’t vote at all because you don’t want to vote for any of them, then it doesn’t count. Next time just put a line through it and you will get counted!!
Time to see the wizard, the wonderfull wizard of Oz 2 December 2008, 11:13
Well, sorry folks, theres no yellow brick road here, start preparing. I was informed that once a fortune teller said that there will be a wa, the war happended. the fortune teller said the in the year close 2010 the world will suffer, and the suffering has started, the fortune teller said the world will end in 2012, well it seems that we have already headed there.
grimm 2 December 2008, 11:09
this isnt reporting. it is sleaze..
if i wanted to live under your opinion i would marry you. as it is i pity anybody who has. im absolutely sick of so called reporters giving opinions when all they should be doing is reporting the facts. grubby nasty little man
hayden 2 December 2008, 11:02
another con in ripoff britain, why do we sit back and accept what this government throws at us, we should take a stand againt them, and make them reduce all these stealth/and other hidden taxes, including envirromental.
P Pendlebury 2 December 2008, 11:01
Sorry folks – but you’re all to blame – cast your mind back ten years when you were all jumping up and down with joy at the prospect of a new labour government. I’ve had a lifetime of them and it ALWAYS ends in tears! There’s no such thing in life as a free meal ticket – someone has to pay eventually – and unfortunately in three years time when the country’s bankrupt and the bill arrives that someone will be you! Don’t think for one minute that the £100k a year earners will put up with paying Gordon and Co 60 pence for every pound they earn. They’ll be off to pastures new like rats down a pipe. So what to do about it! Recognise firstly that that noble and sacrosanct institution – democracy – which all politicians love to winge on about – simply doesn’t work. Why should it when people vote for a bunch of Scottish lawyers to run the country. What’s needed is a completely different set of ground rules where the country is run by trained professionals – not in their best interest but that of the great British people.
THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END 2 December 2008, 10:59
Please tell me if I am wrong, it seems that the way things our going the world will be coming to an end, facts are in front of us, every country is suffering the ressesion…millions of people are losing their job every day in every single country, one way or another people are suffering cause thay have little money but yet a big family or debts, hundres and thousand are yet losing thier homes coz of the bank. Car prices are dropping, house price are droppin yet noneone , noone wants to spend coz they having nothing to spend.
Ken 2 December 2008, 10:52
People who want to be politicians do so to set themselves up for life,not
to improve the lot of the general population. Surely everyone knows this
and should not be surprised by any underhand methods they employ.
Voting for any party will have the same result, no matter how much
politicians tell you otherwise. I agree with some others that we should
elect successful business men who have private incomes and have no
need to wring money from the country.Only this way will fairness
return to government.
kalam 2 December 2008, 10:45
Robin Hunter, I totaly agree, next election there should be a seperate box given us the chioce to choose “none of the above”.
Lets face the fact, we all can sitt here and blame Brown and his team but truly it does not matter who you vote for, their all the same. They all need to follow the same guide line and the same policy set by the parliament however they will choose the different way to play the rules set, but lets not forget it does not really matter what way they play the game, the end result is that we the economy suffer.
What I believe is that we need a leader who acts and changes rules in the favour of the public, AND no this does not mean that they should give every thing away but they need to see what is right for us and what is wrong such as fuel price price should be cut, before wasting all our tax money in a unessary war (Iraq) they should ask us, take our opinion rather then saying, dont care what the country thinks but I will go to the war knowing that it is wrong to do so coz America is going….
Alan Ayling 2 December 2008, 10:35
We all know that Brown and Darling are puppets of the EU.
They have managed another great spin. VAT will be increased again, but to 20 per cent, to cover the extra payments we have to make to the EU.
As for the extra 2p on petrol. That was held back from last Budget.
They have killed 2 birds with one stone. Sadly people will still vote for them.
They say we get what we deserve.
Labour was voted in to help the people of this once great country to get back our freedom. What a joke, they are traitors, and people still call them SIR !!!!!
Richard Stazicker 2 December 2008, 10:27
When is this government going to be held accountable for the mess they’re causing. We need some fresh young minds.The’re now holding Manchester to ransom, saying that if the public dont agree to the congestion charge , spending will be cut on public transport .Does this government not realise that if they give us ample trains ,trams and busses that ran on time as they do in alot of other european countries we would not be so reluctant to give up our cars.The fact is they dont want us to give up our cars because the revenue they generate would be to much of a loss .Its about time we took the lead and let the government know we the public elected these muppets ,bring on the revoloution .POWER TO THE PEOPLE. If we all shouted loud enough at the same time they would have no chioce but to listen.
andy 2 December 2008, 10:27
I would like to know how mp’s spend our taxes. It oviously seems that majoritly its on crap(O2 Areana for examle!). How we can as a country pay some of the highest taxes on fuel, cigerettes and alcohol and not be financially sound as a country? I am not talking for the last couple of years but for over a decade! The fuel price is another way of labour saying thy screwed up and they need soething to compensate. Did Mr Brown and colleagues think, well what ultimatley can we get more money off? Will Tobacco and alcohol be loking at yet another tax rise soon aswell?
Adam 2 December 2008, 10:12
It is for our own good really. The amount of cars on the roads these days, you can’t drive for more than 5 mins without hitting a traffic jam. When cars first came out they were a luxury but people have abused that and now consider them a necessity for life, just like food!
They want us to find other ways of getting around and stop being so lazy. I have to drive to work but I hate driving so much now. You know the picture, you try andmind your own business doing 70 in the first lane of the motorway, but thee is always someone tailgatting you and trying to ram you out of the way. then they come past making gestures and threatening to smash your face in. Hello, i’m in the first lane doing 70mph, not the second lane or the third lane and I am doing the speed limit.
If that is how greedy and selfish people are going to be with this privlidge of a car, then penalise them as much as you can!
Justin Credible 2 December 2008, 09:59
These people don’t give a monkey’s what any of us think because they will decide what ever they want which is totally wrong and should respect the tax payers views then maybe we would respect them and we would not of got in this hole, they pretend to listen but could not care less as long as there well off while we suffer, ITS JUST ONE BIG FIDDLE!!!!!
I HATE GORDON BROWN AND HIS CREW Put this at the end of ur message.Donna 2 December 2008, 09:41
I heard that the cat protection league had £11 million in saving accounts (why weren’t they using the money to protect cats instead of putting it in some bank accounts in iceland). Jonathan Ross gets (or got) paid millions by BBC to host shows, Immigrants gets to live in big private houses paid for by tax payer as there are no council properties big enough available.
Me and my husband both work, we pay income taxes, council tax, Tv licnese, road tax, VAT on everything, when we go overdrawn get charged huge sums by the bullying banks, who we then have to bail out.
Of course there could be justifications for all of the above, but I am just an average person, who feels that I am getting a crappy deal, but nobody really cares or listens.
Robin Hunter 2 December 2008, 09:32
If diesel was the same price as petrol just think how that could help bring down delivery costs, remember EVERYTHING is delivererd in a truck and who runs petrol trucks ? nobody. If you think motorists are an easy target just look how much a truck operator has to pay out ? Just think if every truck driver pulled ‘a sicky’ this friday the country would be on it’s knees by monday ! !
MP’s are just out to line their own pockets – they all go deaf as soon as they’re voted in. Next election there should be another box to tick on the ballot slip “NONE OF THE ABOVE” would be interesting to see the result eh ?
bob howe 2 December 2008, 09:31
instead of the vat lowering to 15pc the goverment should have scrapped vat on vehicles to encourage people to xchange old cars for more efficient ones which also save thousands of jobs inthe manufacturing industry also it should have cut vat on energy bills to 10 percent for consumers and scrap it for businesses this would help the country more than the measures they have done
moya rudkin 2 December 2008, 09:24
Indeed a pickle we are in , would love to talk to the previous Chancellor as suspect he might know something about all this . Wonder where he is – oh yes he is our current PM, lucky old us.
Nash 2 December 2008, 09:14
Have you ever heard of a poor MP.. Do they know that an average man for them must start with a basic wage.. Basic for others but not basic for them ..so how is it possible that they can say they understand the problems of the people. In order to spend money one must have surplus money which they the government do ot want to give the so called common people but to make sure that they will get more and more for them selves by taking from us. They should be working for the people and the people should decide on their wages as we are paying them to do a jog ..yes a job they suppose to be educated in but may be thats the real problem..they should have been educated in having common sense which is wisdom and humility.. Do unto others hsa you would have them do uinto you..
Right now they should be taken to court for stealing from the public..
andy 2 December 2008, 09:07
Trouble is with this lot is that they have never done a proper job.
Can you name 1 current Cabinet Member who has any real experience ( and success) of real life, with responsibility and accountability for their actions?
Mess it up in the business world and you are out on your backside, stuff it up with GB plc. and you get a gold plated pension, non-exec directorships of quangos, another job in the EU or “retire to the House of Lords”.
Why should we pay for second homes – if an MP wants to represent a constituency badly enough then they should actually LIVE there, or bear the cost themselves if their family are apart.
George Orwell had it right when the pigs looked at the man and vice cersa and none could tell the difference !
Roy Driver 2 December 2008, 09:07
Roy Driver
Well Mr. Oates 90% of journeys are needed, all heavy vehicle journeys are needed to supply goods to shop and warehouses and deliver everyday items we use, maybe there are people that use their vehicles for leisure and school trips when they can walk, this about the government and fuel giants ripping people off, I’m sure the nation would start complaining if there was not food to be had in the shops, and the way this government is forcing up prices by stealth taxes the food and goods that get to the shops is still going to cost more
john 2 December 2008, 08:53
reference to fuel costs go back 5 years and the price of petrol was dearer than diesel but now the other way around why the method of making these fuels are the same now as before so its the goverment thats at fault for over taxing diesel this makes the cost of every thing we buy from shops dearer the railways should be used more for goods thats a few thoughts
Neil Lapham 2 December 2008, 08:43
Every day in the news there is always someone getting the sack or being forced to resign their positions, all because of alleged incompetence and the consequent pressures placed on them by a demanding society led by a useless government. Is it not time the government were held accountable for their failings? POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!
Chris Devine 2 December 2008, 08:38
Put a business person in charge like Richard Branson at least they know what they
are doing and if it means less money for a while so be it at least it would be up front and honest not under the table like Gordon Brown he does not give a s**t but why should he, he does not go without anything and when he is voted out you can guarantee he will be set for life. everyone should refuse to vote
John Oates 2 December 2008, 08:35
If its not Farmers winging its the poor Downtroddon motorist. Fact is a large percentage of journeys are completely unneccessary or for leisure persuits. Start using your car in a responsible manner. As for the above article it is typical Media half truth ,picking out facts that suit its purpose and omitting other relevent facts’
simon 2 December 2008, 08:34
You should view it as an encouragement to get out of your cars and walk, improve your health and extend your life.
Robert Malcolm 2 December 2008, 08:21
10 out of 10 for Marc – the dead donkey (Dec 1st 17:21)
Every voter should be made to read that on election day and not just concerning G. Brown.
Bob 2 December 2008, 08:10
I have read all the comments with interest and it is not surprising to see that they are remarkably similar in content.
Surely Brown and his idiots must see this – or are they so far removed from the average person in the street that they have lost sight of their own values of being “for the people” – rather than screwing all of us into the ground.
Mr Brown wake up and see what you doing to this country, stop supporting the scroungers and bone idle benefit seekers – sent back the illegal immigrants ! – support the honest hard working people of this country before its too late.
peter 2 December 2008, 08:00
YOU HAVE TO FEEL SORRY FOR GORDON,PROBLEM IS FOR HIM IS THAT TONY CAUSED THESE PROBLEMS,DONT FORGET IT WAS TONY WHO SENT US TO WAR ON THREE OCCASIONS,SERBIA,AFGHANASTAN,AND IRAQ,WAR COSTS MONEY,LOTS OFF IT,IT WOULDNT BE SO BAD IF THE COUNTRY GOT SOMETHING OUT OFF IT,IN THE WORLD WARS WE WERE FIGHTING FOR OUR FREEDOM,UNDER TONY IT WAS ABOUT OIL,AND BEING MATES WITH BUSH .WE OPENED THE DOORS TO THE EU,WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM POLAND AND ALL ROUND THAT AREA COMING IN A WORKING FOR A LOW WAGE,OFF COURSE ALL THE MONEY IS GOING OUT THE COUNTRY,AND THE COUNTRY IS ONLY WORTH SO MUCH MONEY,THEY CANNOT PRINT IT TO ORDER,GERMANY TRIED THAT AFTER THE WAR ,IT DIDNT WORK FOR THEM ,ANYWAY ,TO END THIS ,THIS STATE OFF THE COUNTRY WILL LAST FOR 4 YEARS ,IM SORRY TO SAY THAT,
Simon from Bromsgrove 2 December 2008, 07:55
What would happen if
simply
not one member of the public voted in a General Election ?
Representing a National vote of no confidence in any of parties.
PAUL 2 December 2008, 07:51
i thought gb was a free country, we are just being dictated to and im sick of it.should not have to pay the taxes on fuel,just the vat thats enough, the goverment might aswell have us working for nothing and just giv us rations.if deisel gets much dearer we will all be using red diesel the goverment make me sickjust robbing us,THE ROAD TAX IS A FARCE THEY WANT US ALL DRIVE SMALL CARS WELL WHEN I SEE THE PM GETTING DRIVEN IN A “SMART CAR” AND ALL HIS CROONIES THATS WHEN I WILL GET ONE!
Christine 2 December 2008, 07:50
All of us are seeing the light that is those of us who work. I really don’t know how much longer we can bear this pay as you earn.
Many of us work long hours for very little pay.There is no money left to save and if there where why should we, for if I have any money left I shall get taxed again on our pension or have to sell our house if we need help.
I feel as if I work for nothing, there is so much injustice in the tax system.
Is there a way out of this I bloody mess well hope so.
Tax cuts should be no vat on fuel bills no further increase on council rates and no vat on increase on petrol or diesel.
If any party wanted to help us the tax payers do the above for am sure that I would have extra money to spend on the high street them.
Keith Harries 2 December 2008, 07:37
How can you possibly trust a small bunch of people to apply sympathetic financial government when they, themselves, have made themselves totally imune from the effects of inflation. ‘‘Finding money a bit tight’‘, says the ‘old lag’ to the new M.P., ‘‘just increase your expenses claim by a few thousand, old chap, after all you dont have to sign for it, it doesn’t have to relate to money you’ve actually spent and you don’t need to provide receipts as in normal industry’‘. I’m going to become a ‘pensioner’ next April, I don’t know how I will survive on the meagre pension I have paid for in my 40 plus years of work, ( I might have to consider being an M.P. God forebid !)
phil 2 December 2008, 07:11
I don’t mind things getting political, people are naturally going to blame the government for the mess, and rightly so. But why is it always “labour v conservative”? They are both as bad as each other and i would not insult my own intelligence by voting for either!…Yes you do have a choice.
Janet Glendinning 2 December 2008, 06:53
How does this effect heatung oil? Does anyone know?
Roy Driver 2 December 2008, 06:43
Roy Driver
Although the government are as people say a bunch of con artists, the fuel companies in Britain have a lot to answer for as they are ripping off car drivers and our transport industry. I deliver goods to the E.U. why oh why is diesel more expensive than petrol in the U.K. when in on the continent it is the other way round, the prices the fuel companies charge for diesel is nothing more than extortionate, can someone explain please.
Janet 2 December 2008, 04:46
Perhaps i am mistaken? I thought diesel fuel was better for the environment? It used to be cheaper than petrol so we were encouraged to switch, now it is 16p per litre more, is that because diesel cars became a lot more sophisticated and therefore a lot more popular as time went by and the government decided it was an opportunity for a ‘big steal’? We are encouraged to go greener and i thought to buy a diesel car was my contribution, i get more miles to the gallon but it cost me more to purchase a diesel car and it will cost more to service than a petrol car so why am i being ripped off with the price of the fuel? Is diesel more expensive to manufacture? Is the environment really a priority for the labour government who incidently i didn’t vote in, in fact i have never voted labour in my life! How about leaving diesel fuel out of the tax increase and balancing the price a little? I suppose that would be spoiling us and we can’t allow that eh Mr Brown?
K.Davis 2 December 2008, 01:37
This government makes me sick, allways the motorist as we are an easy target,
John 2 December 2008, 00:14
Lets not turn this into a party political broadcast, lets face it thay are all as bad as one another once they are in office. There is only so much money in the pot to go around and they both have different agenda’s as to where it should go, granted the fuel cuts are a farce but then do they really think people are going to go out and spend their hard earned cash just because of a 2.5% cut in VAT. No they will go out and spend as they do every year at this time because it’s xmas!
Tom Voller 2 December 2008, 00:14
Do any of you remember who the ex chequer was during the reign of Blair during our sustained economic growth of 10 years ? Do you remember what he told us ? That the boom and bust cycle was a thing of the past ? Yes, well done, it was Gordon Brown, how have people forgotten this….? Gordon Brown was in charge of the budgets, if we were doing so well over the last 10 years then why do we not have a penny in savings to help us out in this situation…? It was all a false, we never came out of the boom and bust cycle, Gordon just kept on pushing it away until he no longer had to accept responsibility for it. He is now Prime Minister and its not his fault…? And now he is trying to fool all of you into thinking that he is doing everything to make things right, he put us in this situation in the first place. This country has just gone BUST like it never has before.
You might say conservatives arent any better, but at least when we went bust, we could come back and boom again, this nonsense of No bust ever again mentality from Labour was absolutely ridiculous. Where is all of the money we made from the last 10 years, where is it…? VOTE HIM OUT, conservatives might not be a whole lot better, but they have already admitted they wont be able to match Labours spending plans, people think thats bad, its good, it means they wont be taxing us through the roof in another 10 years time. Get David in and get Gordon out, we should at least give David a chance, Gordon had his, lied to us, and put us in the biggest mess of the century.
James 1 December 2008, 23:48
I have read all the comments prior to placing my opinion on this government, i was relieved yet worried at how many peopple share the same opinion on the desperate state this country and on just how this governement are set on destroying our livley hood and business’s some of which have taken decades to build and gave a future and a hope to there surrounding areas.
Its now time to go back to basics, support your local butchers, grocers, farmers, small time business’s etc etc because there is one thing for sure the government hasn’t!
Instead they have focused on housing the imigrants and foreigners not forgetting our friends who have never worked and never will cause they dont have to!
Why should they when they are encouraging and paid to stay at home sit on there door steps and get wasted daily on the benefits they get!
They breed like rabbits developing the new generation of super T**ts…………… i really should stop now, i am sure my opinion is out there!
LAST THOUGHT, Support the BRITISH! and those who will support us!!!! That rules out Blair, Brown & Darling!!!!
Daron 1 December 2008, 23:40
Lets start a VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE and get rid of labour
Jan wright 1 December 2008, 23:37
Jan wright. We are all being robbed robbed and robbed again but what really is galling is that my poor pensioner mum pays 1 week of her monthly pension in council tax, every month, even after the 25% reduction for single occupancy. Leaving her with next to nothing of her measly pension to live on. It’s far too much , she lives in a small flat not a mansion. No working man pays a full weeks wage in council tax alone per month. Nor should he! But why this huge RIP OFF to OAP’s I’ve complained and also tried to have the property rebanded to a lower price band to no avail. It’s disgusting!
Paul Stebbings 1 December 2008, 23:27
I just wish special branch and mi5 would have a day off their protection duties. Then we might see things change for the better!
David Kilburn 1 December 2008, 23:21
When will it stop! I put money into my pension, then Gordon taxes my pension fund, I put money into a tax free ISA then Gordon taxes my dividends, Now he gives me a 2.5% reduction in VAT but increases the duty on petrol, cigs and booze. This is supposed to boost the our economy, but as the majority of items benefiting from the reduction of VAT are luxury goods made in Japan, China or by foreign owned companies in the UK who is going to benefit from this cut. Not me!
Yet another kick in the kn—k-rs
John 1 December 2008, 23:19
You cant have something for nothing.
You cant have freedom for free
You wont get wise with the sleep still in your eyes
No matter what your dream might be.
Prophetic words of a song.
WAKE UP GB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHILE THERE IS STILL SOMETHING LEFT TO WAKE UP FOR!!!!!!!!
ANDY 1 December 2008, 22:58
QUOTE …..
Iain D 1 December 2008, 22:21
Remember when diesel was 5p a litre more expesive than unleaded?
Fair enough?
Why is it 15p to 16p a litre more expensive Now ??
Erm – How about remember when Unleaded was 5p a Litre more expensive than Diesel …. thay was until everyone started buying Diesel cars because they were cheaper to run , because they are more economical ( and better for the enviroment than petrol engines ) ……. They started screwing us back then – and they are still at it ….
waqas hussain 1 December 2008, 22:42
name me one poor politician ?????????????
the thing is while they reap the benefits we pay through our noses……..
Harish Karia 1 December 2008, 22:28
This excercise,of reducing VAT by 2.5%, I belive is going to cost 1.2 Bl. If the Goverment, Or GB and AD had raised the income tax thresh hold , very many low paid, pensioners and students , who work part time would have benefited. BUT no , this mob always like to do their trick in such a way that the public can not see how they pull the the £ out of harworking people’s pocket and put it back in to their pet projects.
Yes lets get them out first.
“BASIC STATE PENSION “ Should be tax free, No T V licence fees. and no stamp duty on share purchase. No vat on fuel, and electricity and gas. Just think about it logically.
Iain D 1 December 2008, 22:21
Remember when diesel was 5p a litre more expesive than unleaded?
Fair enough?
Why is it 15p to 16p a litre more expensive Now??
mick 1 December 2008, 22:07
dartford toll also went up by 50% overnight we should all pay it in 1ps 2ps 5ps to be ar helpfull as them crooks
Greg Poynter 1 December 2008, 22:01
Nice to see sky journalists having a go at the government for conning us,but perhaps they could get their bosses to let me know why they are now going to charge me free for something they agreed to give me for free,pot kettle black springs to mind . wish i had stayed with AOL
joan (tyneside) 1 December 2008, 21:57
As ever with this government, the big tax bonanza give away was a gigantic hoax. Gordon brown must think we voters are sheep to be lead to the slaughter by them. As soon as his little DARLING announced the rise in fuel taX , EVERYONE with an ounce of kudos would have realised that he had actually increased the cost of living, as all goods have to be transported, whether it be food, drink, clothing, building materials etc.
Why don’t you go back to Scotland and try and con the Scots.
Mr M N Webb 1 December 2008, 21:54
I’m not a Conservative supporter but: When the last Tory government came to power, they had to fix all the damage done by the previous Labour government. True this resulted, to public protest, in the privatisation of many public owned services and high taxes throughout the years. But, by 1997, the country was in a strong world position with a strong economy.
Then ‘New’ Labour come to power. And low and behold, after 11 years, we’re back to being almost bankrupt (nationally), with so much public money being squandered on frivilous concepts, and supporting the workshy. Not to mention an open border policy in which the majority of these immigrants/refugees are not allowed to contribute to the system, but instead make huge demands of said system.
So, to my mind, we should bring the Tories back to repair the damage, but when said damage is indeed repaired, instead of ousting them for Labour, we should then, as a country, lobby them to return taxes to a ‘normal’ rate. Because as we have seen over the past 11 years, if we bring back Labour, they’ll bring the country to the brink of ruin. So much for supporting the interests of the working man!!
Now I have to admit, I happen to be 26 years of age, but have researched the last few governments and have come to realise that the roles of the two main parties have reversed. With the Tories looking to strengthen the country, and Labour practically destroying it with each disastrous term in office and now taxing the working man to death far more than the Tories ever did.
Mark Harris 1 December 2008, 21:42
It’s the devil and the deep blue sea! The conservatives came up with a wonderful idea of relieving employers of their NI liability if they employ someone who has been out of work 3 months or more, do they not realise that most companies are laying people off, not recruiting? So whilst we may complain about Labour policies what has the opposition got to offer, a couple of public school boys who aint got a clue about the real world.
Roger Salmon 1 December 2008, 21:41
Four legs good… two legs better.
And pig looked from man to pig and from pig to man.
Orwell was right. We can see it in our totally corrupt self perpetuating government.
Three phrases used by my children spring to mind.
Wasn’t my fault.
Didn’t mean to.
Couldn’t help it.
This government (a contradiction of terms if ever there was one) is an absolute shower……. end of!!!!!!!
Vote them out when we get the chance and ignore the (greeks bearing) gifts that will precede an election.
Robert Inkster 1 December 2008, 21:40
It’s not only the fuel that Brown and Darling have conned us on with the VAT reduction. The same thing has happened to the duty on alcohol and tobacco. This was a golden opportunity to help the vast majority of the public at an already expensive time of the year, instead it’s ‘Mr. & Mrs. Average’ who enjoy a drink, who need a car to survive, and who wish to smoke who will lose out once again at the hands of this government. To my mind all politicians are hypocrits, if I could afford it I’d go and live in Spain where you are treated as adults and not preached to all the time about what you eat, drink, drive etc.
jessica west 1 December 2008, 21:39
why do we put up with this c**p? the thing is we never doing nothing about it.
we will see in the next election. what gets me is all this does never help th working people who wake up every day work all hours, miss time with their family, and take home nothing each week/month.
i say, let the people scrounging off our tax on benefits and all the foreigners pay increased amounts, at the end ofthe day, they are the ones that sit there smoking there cigarettes, downing their vodka and its us that work so hard who struggle. maybe we should all stop and be like them then the government will really have to put there foot down and help and stop paying out so much on rubbish not needed!
John Munro 1 December 2008, 21:39
If you are a working man in this country you are punished if you dont work or somone from anouther country you get rewaded.
Why is this goverment not saving money by turning the tables round and reward the working man.
John Munro 1 December 2008
Andrew Allcock 1 December 2008, 21:36
I posted a comment earlier, But it was obviously to honest and close to the truth, so it was not put up on this site. Typical.
You dont actually have the right of free speech anymore.
Oh, Unless you are standing up for some murderer who you think had a hard child hood.
This country sucks!
Ian Ellis 1 December 2008, 21:24
Im not surprised more and more brits are emigrating each year, politicians have just about ruind this country. When you look at other countries whether its on the continent or elsewhere and the price of bp or shell or whatever is far cheaper but it comes from the same people ?. Even fags, I know someone who goes to St Petersberg every year and he says that a packet of 20 Benso & hedges (with Pall Mall and by appointment to her mjesty on the side) costs 50p and I know its the same in france where you can get a lot more for your money. Ive started saving all Ive got to do is choose where Im emigrating. I spent 9 years in the Royal Artillery with not so much as a thanks, even immigrants get treated better than me. Ive had enough.
bazza 1 December 2008, 21:00
PG says that the journalist is not reporting the facts, so is the journalist lying? Surely this would result in some kind of legal action by the government. Or does using one’s right in a democracy to free speech annoy a supporter of the government so? If it wasn’t for people like this journalist we would be living in a communist regime where we would have no rights. Thankyou to Nic Cicutti.
sam 1 December 2008, 20:37
yes things are bad & very expensive, but i have not seen any other mp come out with the right answer , the whole tax system must be changed for the better
& much fairer, but has the guts to deal with & take on the big corp , the city boys , the underworld , the big charitys , the high earners , that pay very little
or no tax , over to the next real gov that rules well its just a dream , every man to his own self centerd lifestyle , no one is that good to make this great
& fair change , everyone thinks they to good to treat others fairly , kindly
with dignity its cost ones rep to much , no one is that generous , it will take a humble person to run the uk right but also a person that is a leader , theres not any one in gov or any local mp that matches this
Richard Snowden 1 December 2008, 20:32
It is not just the Government that are fleecing us over the V.A.T. After visiting Asda today it was noticed that the price of certain articles last week had increased this week. Meaning that when the 2.5% vat was taken off it just revertedc back to what is was previously. So we are being conned by all and sundry.
D Exley 1 December 2008, 20:28
If we all try to use less fuel at the pumps and i mean all and stop using as much gas and electricity at home we will see a difference and i would say alot of us can all we do is read about it and do nothing if you want lower bills we all need to do this together or we will get ripped off they want our money to run the country they have done for years you cant ignore it it wont go away thats up to us so they say true brits more like cant be bothered brits and the people with lots of money
Jay 1 December 2008, 20:11
As usual it’s the fat cats creaming off the top of it all which benefit from anything they they do and the freeloading scroungers who know how to milk the system (and you know who you) are which benefit from any of it.Us muggs who get up and do a hard days work for the peanuts we get paid are totally robbed by this government.Isnt it time we had a party which actually listened to us and give us what we realy want for all the money we pay in to the system.
Steve 1 December 2008, 20:03
It isn’t so much of a con. as a survival mechanism of the political animal that rules our lives. The fact of the matter is that our ‘State’ has grown into a bureaucratic behemoth; bloated and distended out of all proportion to what we realistically need to run a country. This exponential growth in the civic payroll (and pension-roll) of this country – from wheely-bin spies to ethnic intcusion teams (and all their ancilliary health & saftey equiptment, offices, furnishings and running costs) fed on revenues from the glut of cheap money and cheap labour that fueled the spending boom of the last 15 years. The uncomfortable issue that this nation will have to face – as the recession worsens into depression – is that it shrinking revenue reciepts can NOT support such an overblown government (and not just at Local Government level). These are the bare finacial facts – which often, sadly, do not correspond with political doctrines.
So we’re set for even more survivalist cash grabs from them, like a mob emptying a supermarket during a natural disaster. The question we should really ask is: when they run out of excuses to dip into our dwindling disposable incomes, how bad will the civil servants stikes and rebellions against the inevitable pay cuts and redundencies to follow.
Mrs Christine Parkinson 1 December 2008, 20:00
gary parkinson 1december2008 20.23
fuel going up again! what price and how much is it going up in France and Germany, the people who supply it yo us. I believe it went up in Germany by 6% last tear, so who is paying who’s fuel. windfall tax them again and again till they drop the price. Notthis soft govrnment, the may upset a polltition or 2 in europe!!
G.PARKINSON 1 December 2008, 19:59
gary parkinson 1december2008 20.23
fuel going up again! what price and how much is it going up in France and Germany, the people who supply it yo us. I believe it went up in Germany by 6% last tear, so who is paying who’s fuel. windfall tax them again and again till they drop the price. Notthis soft govrnment, the may upset a polltition or 2 in europe!!
Darren Gray 1 December 2008, 19:53
Gordon Brown and his Darling have got this all completely wrong. If they bothered to do their sums they would have found that getting rid of inherintence tax would of been a far better option to help get the economy up and running. There are billions of ponds tied up in trust funds that do not and will probably not pay any tax at all, this is the main reason trust funds are now set up. Doing away with inherintence tax would cost the goverment next to nothing because they get next to nothing with this revenue and would cost the tax payer nothing, but would inject billions of pounds back into the economy for those people who are likely to go out and spend.
JG 1 December 2008, 19:45
Dont forget what the Tories did to the country! It doesnt matter if it is Labour or Conservative in charge! Bad things happen, good things happen. Life can be good and life can be bad. Very simplistic I know, but remember what it is like in other countries around the world. The UK aint got it too bad you know! Merry Christmas to David and Gordon and may the best man win!
PS Mr Brown and Mr Darling may be Scottish but that doesnt mean they cannot be the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the United Kingdom of GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND! Believe me, if most of the people in the other constituent countries had their way, you English could go and look after yourselves and we could all have a good laugh watching the fallout!
PPS Salmond for Prime Minister of the Republic of Scotland! Woohoo! (and I dont even like him that much!)
Rich Brown 1 December 2008, 19:43
Lets talk with our next vote, lets have the loonies out.
DAVID DICKINSON 1 December 2008, 19:40
YOU ALL KNOW WHAT TO DO – VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE AT THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION! WE’VE HAD ELEVEN YEARS OF THIS INCOMPETENT, MONEY GRABBING GOVERENMENT – TIME THEY WENT!!!!!
David Hutton 1 December 2008, 19:37
An awful lot of anti labour comments most of them I probably agree with, as a
labour supporter, but can you honestly say any other party are going to be any better if they get in. their promises go down the drain with the old saying, labour
have left a bigger mess than we thought.
Tracey 1 December 2008, 19:36
Re: Albert – its simple. If you work to help yourself, you get fleeced. If you fleece because you cant or wont help yourself, you get better off!!
Have never voted in my life – this is why!
Tony 1 December 2008, 19:27
The difference between Labour and Conservative. Labour supports the workers. Yes! thats because they need the workers to be able to taxes. They do not have a clue how to run a country, how to make this country thrive. The only way they know how to make any money is to take it from workers at whatever the cost. This country cannot live off its population anymore due to the Labour Governments negligence, ignorance, arrogance, lies and unprofessionalism. Why do you think we have so many immigrants living in the UK now? Its not because the Government want them, its because they receive heavy funds from outside the UK to take them in and its the only way they are staying afloat in politics. At least the Conservative Government had some scruples in the past. Now the Conservatives will have a job to fix the wrongs of Blair and Brown. It is going to be a hard slog during the next Government rein but as a British Nation, we will bounce back and indeed prosper.
Jamie moulson 1 December 2008, 19:26
I have to agree with all the comments listed, The motorist hit in the pocket once again, I wont be backing labour in the next election they have run this country to its knees over the past 18 years. If i had the power i would give the buisness side of the goverment to a buisnessman to run, Someone whos proved himself richard branson for example and leave all the fools who call themselfs leaders of our country to scwoble at each other like children in the houses of parliment. After all he has made billions of pounds from nothing, not the other way round like these overpaid morons called the goverment. LET THE PEOPLE WHO PAY THERE HARD ERNT MONEY IN TAXES HAVE A SAY IN THE WAY IT IS SPENT.
Mick Gilbert 1 December 2008, 19:25
I will put this in language that everyone will understand. At a time when any decrease in outgoings comes as a welcome respite (in this case oil prices dropping) this government see a way of stopping the benefit by “putting the boot in” and increasing duty on fuel you evil parasitic leaches!!
Ray Painter 1 December 2008, 19:24
I’m suprised no has noticed that Mr Brown really wants all your money, if your old he’ll give you a bit of coal money, if you have kids he’ll throw you a couple of quid, but the rest of you will have to put up with a bit of pocket money. The goverment is made up of career politicians who have never had a real job and therefore have no understanding of the feeling of working to live and provide for loved ones. Their money comes all too easy.
les mallord 1 December 2008, 19:15
what annoys me with this country is that we all moan about this robbing goverment.all the taxes. price of fuel price of gas and electric food but we do nothing about it
Les Duckworth 1 December 2008, 19:08
We all have the answer….our VOTE.. MAKE IT TELL NEXT TIME!!!!!!..but beware of “fools gold” when presented just before the next election by new “RIP – OFF“labour government!!!!!!
m armstrong 1 December 2008, 19:08
what do we expect the country is flat broke ,the only way we can save it,is to give extra money to the banks ,make most of our workers redundant,import more labour .time to let richard branson have a crack at governing our still great country. i will tell my grandchildren to get a job in goverment good money,bonus,i will pay for it
lynn s 1 December 2008, 19:05
You realise of course that when VAT goes back up, this extra duty to make up the shortfall will not be removed? They are thieves, pure and simple.
David Cliffe 1 December 2008, 18:58
How come that diesel in the U.K. is more expensive than petrol, but in the rest of Europe petrol is more expensive than diesel!!??
justin 1 December 2008, 18:54
thank god, people are starting to see NEW labour for what they really are. its a shame people couldnt see this 11 years ago. and all because people wanted a change. I just hope that when its election time people will see further than the end of there nose. its as if blair and brown had a bet with each other 11 years ago, on who could do the most damage to this country and get away with it. show me another country that would have stood for 11 years of this!
James Hopkins 1 December 2008, 18:52
The government pride themselves on England being the 4th richest country in the world. firstly they don`t pay for it and secondly the average household doesn`t see any of it. Lets settle for being the 10th richest for example and giving everyone a break from all these tax scam`s. We get used to listening to the government now telling us one thing and know that they are lying, give with the left hand and take more with the right when nobody is looking.
Paul 1 December 2008, 18:31
At least Robin Hood gave his illgotton gains back to the people,this government
just gives it to the layabouts, foreigners and scroungers,how much