Some animals are more equal than others: Govt to avoid their own tax rises.

Cabinet Ministers are facing criticism over the extent to which they have protected themselves from new tax rises for the rich.

Punitive increases announced by Chancellor Alistair Darling in his Pre-Budget Report last week will hit those earning more than £140,000 hardest. 

From 2011, big cuts in personal allowances and an increase in the top rate to 45p will effectively push the rate of tax for those on £140,000 to 60p in the pound – the highest since 1988.

But, as the 23 members of the Cabinet earn £138,724, their salaries will fall just under the threshold. And they can also claim an MP’s tax-free allowance of up to £24,006 each to cover the costs of running a second home.

This means that under the new regime ordinary taxpayers would have to earn over £45,000 more than a Cabinet Minister in gross salary to take home the same amount each month. 

An analysis of tax payments shows that on current pay rates, Cabinet members would take home £115,367 after their income has been taxed and the full housing allowance added.

A nice little tax payer funded earner, nice work if you can get it.

New Labour - "I want them all dead. I want their family's dead. I want their houses burnt to the ground. I want to go there in the middle of the night and piss on the ashes."

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