Keeping up with the latest Brexit News

Sonic67

Because Labour left us with a huge debt. I said this above...

It's easier to get money from VAT as you can't avoid paying it. A rich man can get clever accountants to reduce paying income tax. See Gary Linekar, Bono, cast of Mrs Brown's Boys etc.

Note. We won't always have a huge debt.
The lower pound boosted our exports, our tourist industry and has meant a few less migrants coming here. It also boosted our balance of payments. Hence note the link.
Oh dear. You still don't get that a sovereign country can do as it pleases with taxation. As an EU country you have to obey EU rules regarding VAT. If VAT disappeared tomorrow the money would have to be raised elsewhere. The point is a sovereign country can do as it pleases. An EU country can't. Hence a loss of sovereignty.
Exactly. At some point we will be able to alter our own tax. In the EU we have to obey EU rules. At present we are still constrained by the debt Labour left us.

IronGiant

Most of those myths we already know about, nice to have them in one handy reference though, thanks.

weaviemx5

You seem to be choosing to ignore my point?  Blaming the EU (and Labour now) is a way to deflect the question but my point is, while the Government can take 20% VAT off everyone, why would they reduce it?  As you've agreed, it could be dropped to 15% according to EU regulation but it's been left at 20%.  There will always be people and organisations who can afford to circumvent the rules, maybe the Government would be better off focusing their efforts on closing those loopholes?

Whilst your halcyon view of a Sovereign Country is it being able to do as it pleases, the reality is that money is more important than a warm fuzzy feeling to any Government so they are going to please those who deliver the most return.

Sonic67

Why should it? We need migration. Years ago it was in the tens of thousands. That was manageable. Now it's an influx the size of a city every year. You think that's manageable?
The head of the remain campaign admitted wages would rise without cheap labour. Another admitted that with no cheap labour, firms would need to invest more in workers. Fewer workers means they are more highly prized.

Sonic67

You thought my point was that VAT would fall if we left the EU. My point is that our taxation is one of the things controlled by the EU. A loss of sovereignty. What VAT or any other taxation will be will be decided by a UK government directly answerable to the voters.
Exactly. Money has to be raised somehow. A government should be free to choose how. Not decided by a foreign country.

Goooner

I was reading just a couple of days ago about some recruitment company was already starting ti have filling jobs, welders and baristas were mentioned. As a result, starting wages had increased.

Well, would you believe it, fewer people to do the jobs so the wages go up as employees are more in demand!

Couldn’t possibly work for house prices and rent too could it? Less demand, prices/rents fall, making it easier for people to afford them?

weaviemx5

Ok, we're going round in circles.  If the Government wanted to, or were financially able to, they could drop the current UK VAT level to 15% (the upper level as dictated by the EU).  As it is, the UK Government maintains the 5% increase on top of the EU level because the UK budget deficit dictates that, not the EU.  Whilst it's a nice bluesky idea that the Government can make their own decisions when we leave the EU, there still has to be reality in those decisions and simply blaming the EU is an excuse to further a narrative.

The Dude

For entirely selfless reasons, freedom of travel within EU borders is the single reason I voted for Brexit.


Up until very recently a city the size of Hull was arriving in the UK every single year.
Hull requires 4 Hospitals, 60 schools, 10 Fire stations and something like 20 Police stations.

How many new hospitals have we built during our last ten years of EU memberhip?

Goooner

Remainers seem to get awfully confused by “could”

We could lower VAT if we chose to, same as we “could” spend £350m a week on the NHS instead of giving it to the EU, but no it was on the side of a bus, so that’s as good as a written guarantee.

We could also spend the £350m giving everyone a free pint of milk, or pay off some of the deficit, or give it to schools, or yes, give it to the NHS. There are many things we could do with it that would be preferable to giving it to the EU.

The Dude

..and you're 18months late to the debate.