What's going on in London?

[edyzmedieval]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12871357

It is estimated more than 250,000 people from across Britain have taken part in a demonstration in central London against government spending cuts.

The march and rally, organised by the TUC, have been largely peaceful, but a separate group of several hundred people has attacked shops and businesses in the West End.

The BBC's Home Affairs correspondent Tom Symonds reports.

[InsaneApache]

Where? That toilet called 'our capital', they can keep it.

A boil on the backside of England.

[Rhyfelwyr]

Where? That toilet called 'our capital', they can keep it.

A boil on the backside of England.

+1

Pfft, they think that's a riot? We'll show them how its done north of the border...

[InsaneApache]

What these pricks really want is for you and me to pay for their pensions and empire building.

[Brenus]

Or perhaps they want taxe payers money not going to the Rich or to War and use for helping poors, old or others in need...
But I understand from the conserva-thieves point of view that would be a waste of money.

But be free to prefer to give your money to the one who don't need it and to believe it is all Brown's fault.

[PershsNhpios]

Institute a No-Fly Zone (TM) and send in the Marines! Hooah!

[Fragony]

Where? That toilet called 'our capital', they can keep it.

A boil on the backside of England.

Ya. London is a . As for the rest it's normal that bored rich kids break other people's stuff

[rory_20_uk]

Like spoilt children, they didn't complain when the money was being spent - under Labour - by both the government and the Eeeevil Bankers. No, they accepted their pay rises and increase in perks without comment. Where was the money coming from? Does it matter?

Now the spoilt children have run out of money and think that this is not fair as... money should be infinite, right? The best way to complain about spending cutbacks is to waste a vast amount of money on protests in London and making a big bill for policing the event.

Spending on the elderly? Don't make me laugh. They want spending on themselves who are the only gorup "in need" they really care about:

GPs having to work to 65? Already complaints at having to work for the same length as others.
Police paid a hell of a lot more than Firemen / nurses / teachers? Police union want to compare to Lawyers and Doctors, not to soldiers who are in more danger and earn less.

That they don't even see the hipocracy in accepting years of a budget deficit in boom years and only post hoc making a fuss only goes to show either how selfish or how blinkered these lot are.

[Fragony]

As if they ever worked a day in their life, activists are the same everywhere, they have nothing to worry about daddy has the $$$ to pay for whatever.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Or perhaps they want taxe payers money not going to the Rich or to War and use for helping poors, old or others in need...
But I understand from the conserva-thieves point of view that would be a waste of money.

But be free to prefer to give your money to the one who don't need it and to believe it is all Brown's fault.

"The rich" already make a net contribution to the treasury, "the poor" don't. As to "war", that is a truly tiny proportion of the budget compared the welfare, even after IDS cut it.

I'd put money on the troublemakers all being upper-middle class students, or anarchists reliving their "glory days".

[InsaneApache]

Lets get this straight, anarchists do not call for more government. Quite the opposite. I think you mean those lovely, fluffy, nice but dim, socialists.

[Boohugh]

250,000 people too stupid to understand we're broke or don't understand the meaning of broke because they've grown up on Labour handouts for the past 14 years. Because of them and their attitude the savings I've been trying to build up over the years for stuff like a house deposit are steadily becoming worthless - I find it utterly incomprehensible how people don't understand that if spending > income you can't keep buying whatever you want, both at a personal and national level. /rant!

[Louis VI the Fat]

Go protesters!

Possibly half a million travelled all the way to London to show that the British people will not surrender to the plunder by their City overlords.

The British middle class is too well established to let the UK be turned into Russia, a country with two classes: mobster-politico-billionaires, and the desolate poor.


If the budget can't be balanced, then reinstate taxes for corporations and those that profit from doing business in Britain. The middle class has been sucked dry enough, and can tolerate neither heavier taxation nor more detrioration of services. A working Briton has a right to functioning public transport and hospitals just as much as his European neighbours do.

[Brenus]

“"The rich" already make a net contribution to the treasury, "the poor" don't. As to "war", that is a truly tiny proportion of the budget compared the welfare, even after IDS cut it.” Ah, I am always happy to see that some still believe in this fairy tale…

The Rich evade taxes thanks to laws tailored for them by their cousins, friend, relatives and families in power.
The “poor” pays more taxes (as VIT) in proportion on what they earn.

And the poor provide more soldiers than the Rich. Why always thinking money and not “Honneur et Patrie”?

And in the UK only Ireland could compare about the lowest taxes for the banksters and affiliates.
And this Chancellor will even cut their taxes even lower.

War is surely a tiny proportion of the budget. But if your compare defence and Welfare…
Then if your ideal for your Grandparents is for them to work in a Mc Donald… My idea for mine is/was for them to enjoy as much as possible the years to come…
But hey, perhaps to sweep between two shifts in a factory is your idea of a good life for 70 years old…

All theses amounts are nothing compared to the Tax Evasion that ALL governments in UK failed to address.

Perhaps this march is the start of a Tunisian Revolution in this country by people sick of the MP expenses scandals, greedy Banksters with indecent bonuses earned on frauds, sick of these Governments strong with the weak but weak with the strong, fed-up of the cuts against every body except them and their pals in the City.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

“"The rich" already make a net contribution to the treasury, "the poor" don't. As to "war", that is a truly tiny proportion of the budget compared the welfare, even after IDS cut it.” Ah, I am always happy to see that some still believe in this fairy tale…

The Rich evade taxes thanks to laws tailored for them by their cousins, friend, relatives and families in power.
The “poor” pays more taxes (as VIT) in proportion on what they earn.

And the poor provide more soldiers than the Rich. Why always thinking money and not “Honneur et Patrie”?

And in the UK only Ireland could compare about the lowest taxes for the banksters and affiliates.
And this Chancellor will even cut their taxes even lower.

War is surely a tiny proportion of the budget. But if your compare defence and Welfare…
Then if your ideal for your Grandparents is for them to work in a Mc Donald… My idea for mine is/was for them to enjoy as much as possible the years to come…
But hey, perhaps to sweep between two shifts in a factory is your idea of a good life for 70 years old…

All theses amounts are nothing compared to the Tax Evasion that ALL governments in UK failed to address.

Perhaps this march is the start of a Tunisian Revolution in this country by people sick of the MP expenses scandals, greedy Banksters with indecent bonuses earned on frauds, sick of these Governments strong with the weak but weak with the strong, fed-up of the cuts against every body except them and their pals in the City.

Oh come on.

Both my grandparents are retired, and they live reasonably comfortably - neither has ever been remotely wealthy. Also, the rich DO make a net contribution, the poor do not. The rich also pay a higher proportion of their earnings as income tax, as NI and as VAT because many essentially are VAT free.

So stop with the bleeding heart already.

Consider this: all the people not curently working because their place of work is wrecked, yeah those thugs REALLY helped the poor.

[Jaguara]

Also, the rich DO make a net contribution, the poor do not. The rich also pay a higher proportion of their earnings as income tax, as NI and as VAT because many essentially are VAT free.

While I would agree in regards to the Upper Middle Class, but when you say "Rich", most people think of the Upper class. On paper, their tax brackets should be higher, however the ultra-rich are often able to take advantages of loop-holes and write-offs that are not feasible for people with less than a few million in assets. The end result is that they end up paying little to no tax in proportion to their income.

In the US & Canada - and I believe also in the UK, the top 1% income earners actually pay little to no income tax. Corporate taxes also usually hit mostly small-medium size businesses, as again, the top 1% corporations often pay very little or no taxes (I just saw a report stating that GE - reportedly the largest company in the US - paid no income tax in the US in the last few years, along with a list of other large and profitable companies)

The middle class carries the burden.

[a completely inoffensive name]

The middle class carries the burden.

QFT.

[Brenus]

“Consider this: all the people not curently working because their place of work is wrecked, yeah those thugs REALLY helped the poor.”
So, you loose your job so you are a thug. Interesting.
Do you have more of this 19th Century Victorian Aristocratic Morality?
But the ones paying no taxes because they are rich enough to put their money in offshore bank account are the nice hard working gentlemen and Ladies…

[Crazed Rabbit]

“Consider this: all the people not curently working because their place of work is wrecked, yeah those thugs REALLY helped the poor.”
So, you loose your job so you are a thug. Interesting.

No, you're (the anarchist) a thug because you break other people's property for your own pleasure.

In the US & Canada - and I believe also in the UK, the top 1% income earners actually pay little to no income tax. Corporate taxes also usually hit mostly small-medium size businesses, as again, the top 1% corporations often pay very little or no taxes (I just saw a report stating that GE - reportedly the largest company in the US - paid no income tax in the US in the last few years, along with a list of other large and profitable companies)

Why we should have a flat tax and no exemptions.

CR

[Louis VI the Fat]

“Consider this: all the people not curently working because their place of work is wrecked, yeah those thugs REALLY helped the poor.”

I think 'thugs' refers to the rioters. The usual suspects seized upon the protest to destroy some stuff. This means some people may not be able to perform their usual work today.

This 'grave attack on Britain's poor by Saturdays thugs' consists of a handful of people spending today cleaning up their workplace.


Possibly half a million hard working Britons - nurses, police officers, private business owners - travelled all the way down to London to let themselves be heard. It is not relevant to focus on the usual 2000 anarchists / squatters going through their weekly routine of trashing stuff. No more than one dismisses this weekend football events by pointing out the usual hooligan nonsense. Millions had great fun just watching a game.

[Strike For The South]

I would eat trash if Louis told me how the chef prepared it.

5 years later and I still get a kick out of the mans penmanship

[Jaguara]

Why we should have a flat tax and no exemptions.

I wish it were so as well. Imagine how simple your tax filings would be...and much more fair. Ah but there is the kicker...the top 1% don't want a fair system, and what about the 65 billion dollar tax preparation industry? What about all those jobs!!! (Talk about a useless "industry", if you ask me)

Still, we can dream.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I think 'thugs' refers to the rioters. The usual suspects seized upon the protest to destroy some stuff. This means some people may not be able to perform their usual work today.

This 'grave attack on Britain's poor by Saturdays thugs' consists of a handful of people spending today cleaning up their workplace.

There is fire damage and broken windows, that will take several days to repair and some people on minimum wage could be out of pocket £100-150 (40-60% of paycheck).

So don't give me that, "they'll just clean it up" nonsense. We had someone set fire to Marks and Spencer's in Exeter, it was out of action for nearly two weeks because of the smoke damage.

[Furunculus]

What these pricks really want is for you and me to pay for their pensions and empire building.

agreed, these economic illiterates just don't understand that even with the election deficit plans from all three parties we are still on a trajectory to see a national debt of 400% of GDP by 2040.

that will require 27% of government revenue annualy to service the debt-interest. money that might otherwise be spent on worthy social causes such as gender awareness officers.......


http://www.bis.org/publ/work300.pdf

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/ban...-over-400-2040

In the US & Canada - and I believe also in the UK, the top 1% income earners actually pay little to no income tax.

Then we should ditch the fifty% income tax band, as the last time we brought down rates/abolished higher tiers the top 1% actually generated MORE revenue for the exchequer:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/mon...cle7031468.ece

By contrast, in his 1988 Budget, Nigel Lawson cut the top rate of income tax to 40p in the pound. And it raised more tax.

More to the point, Labour strategists might note, it raised more from the top paid in society. In 1978-79, after Mr Healey’s top rate of 83 per cent, the highest-earning 1 per cent of the population paid 11 per cent of all income tax taken in by the Treasury. After Mr Lawson’s cut in the top rate to 40 per cent, the top 1 per cent of earners now pay an estimated 24.1 per cent of all income tax.

There’s more. In the late 1970s the top 5 per cent of earners paid 24 per cent of all income tax, but now they pay 43.1 per cent. In the late 1970s the top 10 per cent of earners paid 35 per cent of all income tax, but now pay 53.3 per cent.

The message is simple — the lower the top rate of income tax, the less people will try to dodge it and the more money the Treasury raises.

same goes for business taxation:

http://aleksandreia.wordpress.com/20...-tax-revenues/

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

What these pricks really want is for you and me to pay for their pensions and empire building.

Or perhaps they want taxe payers money not going to the Rich or to War and use for helping poors, old or others in need...
But I understand from the conserva-thieves point of view that would be a waste of money.

But be free to prefer to give your money to the one who don't need it and to believe it is all Brown's fault.

Or maybe start defending your own nation and stop spending money on stupid things, oh, like the Royal wedding?

As if they ever worked a day in their life, activists are the same everywhere, they have nothing to worry about daddy has the $$$ to pay for whatever.

My opinion of liberals are quite low, especially foriegn liberals due to the fact they think they know best yet like you said, they so rich they never have to work a day in their spolied lives.

Wonder how your Europeans can live in such a idiotic continent.

[al Roumi]

Ugh, sometimes the Org really looks like a seeping pore of reactionary chauvinists.

I went to the rally on saturday, I didn't go on the march. I watched people file into Hyde park for an hour or so, saw a bunch of teenage "anarchists" run off -as I later found out, to watch/partake in the sack of Fortnum and Mason. Marching I saw nurses, teachers, physiotherapists, lecturers as well as the general public sector unionists -and this was only from their banners.

I'm in a strange situation caught between a desire to show support for public services and the patent lack of a political alternative to these cuts. Even the last Tory government used a 1:1 ratio of taxation to cuts to balance the national budget, where are the taxes in Osbourne's equation? Probably at about 1:4... You don't expect the Tories to care about people who can't afford to go private, but that is at least meant to be Labour's bread and butter. The Labour party is failing to stand up and provide an alternative.

As to the "Anarchists", they are children who have no right to carry a flag carried for real causes in history. 200 people were arrested out of up to 400,000 attending the rally, yet these idiots get the headlines -undermining the message of the massively overwhelming majority.

And then the dregs of society on here carp about their own family being comfortable when clearly, if they weren't -or more importantly they could see past their own navel, they might give a solitary crap.

[gaelic cowboy]

agreed, these economic illiterates just don't understand that even with the election deficit plans from all three parties we are still on a trajectory to see a national debt of 400% of GDP by 2040.

While one cant argue with the the finely constructed PDF to be honest I have this nagging feeling the I.B.S. are pulling a bit of Disco Stu here "Did you know that disco record sales were up 400% for the year ending 1976? If these trends continues... AAY!"

Surely by 2040 the economy will have grown again plus wont inflation have eaten the debt to some extent.

[Slyspy]

According to the BBC only 201 people were arrested in connection with the protests at the weekend, and 149 of those were charged. 138 of these were for aggravated trespass, members of the organisation which occupied Fortnum and Mason. Oh no!

[lars573]

Why we should have a flat tax and no exemptions.

CR

You realize that your mythic flat tax no exeption cure all will just hammer the poor hard for a modest gain in revenue from the high earners.

[Jaguara]

You realize that your mythic flat tax no exeption cure all will just hammer the poor hard for a modest gain in revenue from the high earners.

Usually when talking about this sort of thing, there are other measures in place to help the poor. Just like with the GST, they came out with the GST rebate for low income households.

The main thing here would be simplification of the tax system, which would save billions of dollars - both to taxpayers who have been paying to have their taxes done by professionals and also for Governments which have huge audit teams to wade through the selected returns.

The problem is that the ultra-rich will still avoid paying taxes, as they will just legally move to some country which will not tax them as much (even if they never actually leave the US/Canada).

So the point is, it is essentially an idealist's dream. Still, even then, I think it is better than the convoluted, tangled mess we have right now.