Taxes - The true champagne socialist face of Labour.

Just look at the rises in taxes under the champagne socialists, so does anyone think that our services have improved to reflect that huge rise?...

	1997/1998	2004/2005
Income Tax	£77 billion	£123 billion
National Insurance	£45 billion	£78 billion
Stamp Duty	£3.5 billion	£9 billion
Inheritance Tax	£1.7 billion	£2.9 billion
Capital Gains Tax	£1.4 billion	£2.3 billion

Also planned by the scum that make up New Labour:

• Second Home Tax : New Labour would like to see owners of second homes paying a special TRIPLE rate of Council Tax – to which could be added an Absentee Tax on homes left unoccupied for 6-8 months per year.
  
• Nuclear Tax : Every household will have to pay an extra £3,400 on its electricity bills over the next 20 years (£170 per year) to pay for new nuclear power stations and nuclear waste disposal.
  
• Crime Tax : Lord Goldsmith, the New Labour Attorney General, would like to let violent criminals and people arrested in possession of drugs and knives & other offensive weapons buy their way out of a gaol sentence and a criminal record by stumping up £500 to the government's coffers.
  
• Bed Tax : The government is eager to add a further 10% tax to hotel bills – in addition to VAT (currently 17.5%). The tax would make Britain the highest taxed holiday destination in Europe.
  
• Insulation Tax : Householders who fail to have their windows double-glazed, and their loft and cavity walls insulated, will have to pay more Council Tax for causing global warming. Those have made their home more energy-efficient might just get a rebate (but don't hold your breath).
  
• Obesity Tax : To be applied to 'junk' foods in the name of combatting obesity and getting the nation 'fighting fit for the Olympics'.
  
• Global Warming Airline Tax (a.k.a. Skyway) : The amount of the tax will vary according to the distance flown, e.g. £10 for a trip to Europe rising to £50 for a journey to the United States. Foreign Sec. Margaret Bucket thinks this tax will prevent Britain from descending into 'climage chaos'.
  
• Planning Gain Supplement : Announced in the 2006 December pre-budget report, this is a new stealth tax (to be introduced within 3 years) on land sold by home owners to developers based on the difference between value of the land itself, and the value of the land with planning permission.
  
• Garden Debris Tax Threatened in June 2007 : A charge of £50/year from your council for removing the lawn cuttings, prunings and other stuff that goes in the green wheely bin for recycling via the council's composting scheme. The government seems to think home composting, or fly-tipping, is a better alternative.
  
• English Lesson Tax Also threatened in June 2007, the government's decision to stop funding college courses offering English lessons to migrants means that Ruth Kelly's Commission on Integration & Cohesion will recommend tagging the cost onto the Council Tax.
  
• Dormant Account Tax July 2007 The government is making noises about stealing the £15 billion in bank and building society accounts which have not been accessed for 15 or more years.
  
• Home Information Tax July 2007 Information from HIPs will be collected by Council Tax assessors for use in the next revaluation programme in order to extract the maximum amount of cash from home owners.
  
• Bin Bag Tax October 2007 In the first 6-month trials, councils will hand out 26 purple bin bags. Extra bags will be available at 28p a time, and the dustmen will remove only the official bags, ignoring cheaper bags bought from supermarkets. This stealth tax is estimated to add £40/year to the Council Tax and it will lead to an epidemic of fly-tipping and theft of purple bin bags.
  
• Capital Gains Tax October 2007 As a result of 'simplification' of the system, this tax will be going up by 80% for people who sell their small business when they retire.
  
• National Insurance October 2007 The small print of the 2007 Budget hides the fact that £4.5 billion will be taken from middle and higher income taxpayers through changes to National Insurance thresholds.
  
• Business Rate Tax Relief will be slashed from April 2008 at a time when the government has 78 acres of floor idle space in office buildings and grace & favour homes, which are lying empty but still costing the taxpayer a packet in lease-fees and maintenance.
  
• Window Tax March 2008 The government chickened out of a revaluation for Council Tax in England but its minions are still snooping behind the scenes. By March 2008, about 8 million houses had been screened and coded according to the view from their windows. Those with a full view of something scenic will be charged the top rate of Window Tax, those with just a partial view will be charged an appropriate proportion of the tax.
  

• Off-street parking places have also been totted up by Gordon Brown's bean-counters at the Department for Communities & Local Government to provide the basis for another Stealth Tax when he's feeling brave enough.
  
• Accident Tax • September 2004 Building on the success of the Vehicle Insurance Premium Tax (see below), which raises £105 million per year, the government is planning to extend the idea to accidents in the workplace. The government hopes to raise a further £150 million per year from insurance companies when people are treated in NHS hospitals after accidents at work. Employers can expect their liability insurance premiums to rise by 5%. Some firms have already seen their premiums rise by 20-50% in 2003/4 thanks to the current compensation culture. The rate of business failure is expected to increase steeply when this new stealth tax is imposed.
  
• Air Passenger Duty (a.k.a. Skyway Robbery) • December 2006 Doubled from February 2007 in the pre-budget statement. This is (im)purely a tax on travelling and nothing to do with saving the planet. The rates will be £10 for shorthaul flights rising to £80 for longhaul flights.
  
• Business Rates • September 2005 As a result of a revaluation of commercial premises, which the government promised would be 'revenue neutral', business rates will rise by 8% this year – 3 times inflation. Businesses, and their customers, will have to find £1,200,000,000 to throw into the Chancellor's Black Hole.
  
• Coarse Fishing School Tax • The licence cost £12.25 in 2007 and went up to £16.75 for 2008.
• Childcare @ School Tax • New Labour wants all schools to stay open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. by 2010 to allow mothers to work. The scheme has to be self-financing, so as a consequence, schools will have to charge for all out-of-hours activities, e.g. outings, sports coaching, and dance and music classes.

• Company Vehicle Taxes • These taxes have been raised by increasing charges on both cars and fuel, and also by reducing high-mileage discounts.
  
• Computer Tax • (March 2006 Budget small print) Anyone who uses a computer at work for checking personal emails or private pottering on the internet, and anyone who uses a company PC or laptop at home, will be liable to pay the Computer Tax unless they can prove to the Revenue Dept. beyond a shadow of a doubt that the computer is used for work only and nothing else.
  
• A £2,000 computer bought after 2006/04/06 will cost employees in the higher income tax band £160 more per year, and the employer will have to pay an extra £51.20.
  
• Congestion Charging • This scam raised a lot of cash in London and other big cities are wondering about cashing in.
  
• June 2005 Congestion Charges for rush-hour trains. Apparently, the Department of Transport has this weird notion that only rich people travel by train and paupers use buses. So they don't think any Labour supporters will be affected. The tax is necessary because the rail companies have been doing too good a job of selling their product and road pricing is expected to force a large number of poor motorists off the roads. Eventually, the government hopes to introduce Congestion Charging for pedestrians to stop people wandering around unnecessarily and make them stay at home, where the government can keep an eye on them with in-home CCTV [which will be installed as part of a multi-billion-pound scheme to crack down on antisocial behaviour.].
  
• Corporation Tax • The headline rate was cut from 30p to 28p in the 2007 budget but the rate for small companies was increased from 19p to 20p from 2007/04/01. It will rise further to 21p in 2008 and to 22p in 2009.
  
• Gordon Brown says the change is to penalize workers from eastern Europe, who register themselves as companies to avoid paying income tax when they arrived in the UK. But instead of closing this loophole, he has chosen to increase the tax burden by stealth on all small companies.
  

1. Dental Tax 1 • Despite increasing National Insurance, which is supposed to pay for the Health Service, the government is forcing dentists out of the NHS system and obliging their customers to seek private treatment via a dental plan costing, typically, £19 per month. [Thanks to N.B. for this one.]
   
2. Dental Tax 2 • 2006/04/01 The cost of a dental checkup on the NHS rose threefold from £5.54 to £15.50. The cost of a filling went up fourfold to £42.40 and the price of a gold crown doubled to £189.
   

• 'Didn't Vote' Tax • July 2005 Geoff 'Buff' Hoon, former Defence Minister, wants to make voting compulsory at general elections so that New Labour can impose a fine on anyone who exercises their former democratic right not to vote for any of the unappealing candidates.
  
• Disorder Tax • May 2005 The government would like every business licences to sell alcohol in designated 'Disorder Zones' to hand over £100/week to pay for extra policing to handle 'drink-fuelled violence'. "The scheme will let local councils and police forces run legalized protection rackets," commented a likely victim of the tax.
  
• Dividend Tax Credit • This allowance was abolished in 1997, reducing income to charities, pension funds and anyone living on income from dividends. Pension funds and non-taxpayera can no longer recover the tax credit on income from UK dividends. The effect has been described as compound interest in reverse as pension contributions must be increased to provide the same level of benefits.
  
• Driving Licences • The cost of the driving test written test and the driving test itself have been increasing relentlessly, and now there is a charge for changing from a provisional licence to a full licence
  

• Driving Licence Photocard Tax : From 2008, driving licences will have to carry a photograph to comply with EU regulations. The government is offering 3 options:
  
• 1. An extra charge of £3 for everyone, which is expected to rise to £10 very quickly;
  
• 2. First-time drivers will pay for everyone and the cost of a driving licence will rise from £38 to £68; and
  
• 3. The cost of a driving licence will rise to £45 and the cost of registering a new car will rise from £38 to £45.
  
• Europe Tax • In 2007/08, Britain will pay £4.1 billion to the European Union. In 2008/09, we have to pay £6.1 billion, which becomes £6.4 billion in 2009/10.
  
• This is a direct consequence of Gordon Brown's policy of surrendering the rebate won by Mrs. Thatcher and getting nothing in return.
  
• Excise Duty • Consistently raised above the rate of inflation on tobacco and alcohol, tax of fuel and fares.
  
• Fines, More Widespread Use • Everything from motoring offences, anti-social behaviour, truancy and binge drinking is seen as a means of raising revenue by New Labour.
  
• Fiscal Drag • Gordon Brown, seeking to fill the monstrous Black Hole which he has created in the nation's finances, is adjusting tax bands relative to an inflation rate which has been massaged down rather than the rate of increase of earnings. As a result, 3 million of the 28 million taxpayers are paying the 40% rate, an increase of around 10% since Gordon Brown became Chancellor.
  
• Fiscal drag includes Stamp Duty on property purchases, which is now at five times the 1997 level (£3,600 million compared to £675 million) and twice as many people are paying it as in 1997 (1,200,000 versus 607,000).
  
• Inheritance Tax is another growth area. Thanks to the government's failure to allow for rising house prices, it has risen 75% since 1997 to £2.8billion per year.
  
• Income tax has doubled under New Labour due to Fiscal drag – Chancellor Brown's policy of not raising tax thresholds year by year. The amount of income tax for 2006/07 will reach 109% of the amount raised in 1996/97. [£145 billion compared to £69 billion]
  
• Free Travel Tax • Gordon Brown announced free off-peak travel for people of 60 and older in the 2006 budget. But he failed to provide the cash to pay for the scheme. So Council Tax and/or fares had to go up to bridge the gap.
  
• Home Information Pack Tax • July 2005 From 2007/06/01, New Labour will require home owners to give prospective buyers details of their dwelling's structural condition, title deeds, energy-use efficiency, planning consent status (if applicable), e.g. for a conservatory, and details of guarantees for central heating, double glazing, etc. Reports for the packs will be compiled by 7,500 home inspectors, who will join New Labour's vast army of public servants with jobs that make them indebted to the Labour party.
  

1. March 2006 The information in these packs will be 'stored electronically' and made available to inspectors looking for excuses to raise the Council Tax on homes which have been improved or repaired, and homes on which the owner has spent a lot of cash to keep them well maintained.
   

• April 2006 Home Information Packs will also attract VAT at the full rate of 17.5% on top of the £1,000 cost in line with New Labour's disgraceful policy of applying taxes on top of taxes.
  
• June 2006 The packs won't include information on:
  

• subsidence risks;
• flooding risks;
• rights of access affecting security and the safety of children; and
• land contamination.

• The main purpose of the HIP is to provide the Treasury with £111 million/year from VAT on HIPs and Energy Performance Certificates. Identity Tax • After getting us used to Stealth Taxes, the government wants to give its customers Stealth ID cards by building personal data into passports and driving licences, which will cost at least £35 more than the current price as they will become multi-purpose documents. Anyone who doesn't drive and who isn't planning to go aboard will be required to buy a straight ID card for £35.
  

Oh and some stealth taxes on top of all the above, feel like you have been fiscally raped yet?

July 1997

01 • Mortgage Interest Tax Relief At Source (MIRAS) reduced from 15% to 10%
02 • Dividend Tax Credits for pension schemes abolished
03 • Income tax relief on health insurance abolished
04 • Insurance Premium Tax extended to some health insurance
05 • Road Fuel Tax escalator increased to 6%
06 • Vehicle Excise Duty increased
07 • Tobacco duty escalator increased to 5%
08 • Stamp Duty raised to 2%
09 • Carry back of Corporation Tax losses limited to 1 year
10 • Windfall tax on utilities

March 1998
11 • Tax relief for the married couple's allowance (MCA) cut to 10%
12 • Top rate of Insurance Premium Tax extended to travel insurance
13 • Exceptional increase in tobacco and alcohol duties
14 • Duties on casinos and gaming machines raised
15 • Road Fuel Tax escalator increase brought forward
16 • Tax on company cars increased
17 • Tax relief on foreign earnings abolished
18 • Tax concessions for certain professions abolished
19 • Capital gains tax imposed on certain non-residents
20 • Restriction of Capital Gains Tax relief on reinvestment
21 • Corporation tax payments on account brought forward
22 • Stamp duty increased again
23 • Certain hydrocarbon duties increased
24 • Additional diesel duties introduced
25 • Landfill Tax increased
26 • Double tax credits on certain dividends restricted

March 1999
27 • National Insurance Contributions earning limit raised
28 • NI Contributions for self-employed increased
29 • Tax relief of Married Couple's Allowance abolished
30 • MIRAS abolished
31 • Self-employed contractors to pay NI and income tax as if employees
32 • Company car business mileage discount limited
33 • Double escalator on tobacco duties
34 • Insurance Premium Tax increased to 5%
35 • Vocational training relief abolished
36 • Employer NI Contribution base broadened to include all benefits in kind
37 • VAT on some banking services increased
38 • Tax on reverse premiums paid to tenants by landlords introduced
39 • Duty on domestic fuel oils up
40 • Vehicle Excise Duty for lorries increased
41 • Landfill tax escalator introduced
42 • Stamp Duty rates raised again to 2.5/3.5%

March 2000
43 • Tobacco duties increased above inflation
44 • Stamp duty raised for 4th time, scope of duty extended
45 • Extra taxation of life assurance companies
46 • Rules on tax havens tightened up
47 • Company car taxes raised

2001
The Chancellor gives the exhausted nation a year off – no new stealth taxes!

April 2002
48 • Personal tax allowances frozen
49 • National Insurance threshold frozen
50 • NI Contributions for employers raised
51 • NI Contributions for employees raised [Class 1 up 1%]
52 • NI Contributions for self-employed raised
53 • North Sea taxation increased
54 • Duty on some alcoholic drinks raised
55 • Stamp duty thresholds frozen
56 • Tax relief on investment in film industy restricted
57 • Rules on corporate debt tightened
58 • Nil-rate threshold for inheritance tax raised by less than the rate of inflation

April 2003
59 • VAT imposed on electronically supplied services
60 • Domestic staff on £89/week to pay NI & income tax, employers to pay NI
61 • Betting duty increases
62 • Tax on red diesel and fuel oil increased
63 • Anti-tax haven rules tightened to cover more UK firms with Irish subsidiaries
64 • Vehicle excise duty raised
65 • Personal tax allowances frozen again

July, 2003
66 • £35 added to all fines and £3 added to the cost of a home insurance policy

September, 2003
67 • Price of petrol raised 7p per gallon (with the VAT)

October, 2003
68 • Up to 8 times increase in the stamp duty on leases for retail premises
69 • Airport Tax doubled

December, 2003
70 • 40% extra Council Tax on second homes was sneaked in while the Westminster Wonders were breaking up for their hols a whole week before Xmas.
Additional info : It has been pointed out that a number of councils gave an even bigger discount for second homes and the increase for some people can be 80%. Plus the usual 6-18% annual rise, depending on how bloated the council's operations have become.
Exemptions may be granted if the second home owner (1) has to live somewhere because of his/her employment, (2) the dwelling comes with the job, or (3) there are special threat/security reasons involved. All of which excuses apply to 10, Downing Street, the home of a certain Mr. Anthony B. Liar. (Thanks to M.K.)

January, 2004
71 • £60 per day fine for late submission of self-assessment income tax forms
72 • Traffic wardens to receive powers to impose fines for a whole bunch of offences to keep poor people off the roads. The offences will include parking more than 19 inches from the kerb (£100) and dithering by people who are lost over, and who don't know whether to make a turn or keep straight on
73 • A 'Victims Fund' surcharge fine on everyone who passes through the courts. £5 for speeding up to £30 for murder.
74 • Legal Aid for the middle classes abolished

February, 2004
75 • £40 per week charge to middle-class parents for formerly free nursery places
76 • £200 per year charge to middle-class parents for places on formerly free school buses
77 • £250 per hour charge from the fire brigade for non-fire-related call-outs, e.g. clearing up after road accidents and rescuing pussy cats from trees

March, 2004
78 • £550 tax rise (at standard rate) for people using a company van or people-carrier out of work time
79 • Council Tax will rise at least 7.4% next year (according to the Budget)
80 • The tax incentive for owner-operator small businesses to become companies abolished
81 • Tax on cross-border payments for goods and services between multi-divisional companies extended to transactions within the UK
82 • Tax on trusts up from 34% to 40%
83 • Duty on red diesel up 1p/litre above inflation (57% rise)
84 • Duty on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used as fuel up 1p/litre above inflation (45% rise)
85 • Personal allowances for taxpayers under 65 frozen

April 2004
86 • PEPs and ISAs containing shares lose their tax break on dividends and the annual ISA allowance cut by £2,000 to £5,000
87 • The 100% tax allowance for small businesses & self-employed on new computer/advanced telephone equipment cut to 50% for 2004/5 tax year
88 • Passports – in addition to costing twice as much as the present price of £42, the new 'biometric data' passports will be valid for half as long. They will have to be renewed every 5 years instead of every 10 years, which doubles the cost yet again.
89 • £100 per year 'lighthouse tax' on small boats over 8 metres long. Commerial shipping lines think they should pay £2.6 million per year towards the annual £73 million cost of maintaining lighthouses and navigational equipment.

May 2004
90 • Council Tax bills to rise a further £110 in the affected areas to pay for 'Two Jags' Prescott's regional assemblies

Gordon Brown a man who makes me so angry I could punch his lights out

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