have to agree with the £250k stamp duty. Wont help the buyer. You get places priced around £265-270k and at the moment the seller knows they will have to drop to under £250k realistically. If the limit goes those types of house prices, the seller will then be looking at selling at over £250k. Also lets be honest, nowdays not many houses/flats available below 250k anyways (well down south at least)
dunno... it's just like gravity.. it's natural.Originally Posted by TheAnimus
haha thats quality - made me laugh out loud in the office anyhoo...
Im wondering about the whole VAT thing again - I wonder if there may be a way its utlised to avoid the dreaded double dip that could cause havok with the markets if it appears...
Monopolies and Cartels have the economies by the scruff of the neck now - they should have been 'managed' years ago...
Please do not message me about Scan Free shipping, I no longer work for HEXUS.net
it's because your usually trying to stir-up hatred by commenting on the north/south divide
I've a feeling we might see VAT increase because for weeks we've been hearing that we've the lowest VAT rate in 'europe' compared to other countries and it's a sneaky way to increase taxes across a broad spectrum and increase their revenue to plug the huge gaping hole that is in the UK funds at the moment.
VAT increase is anything but sneaky. However, he's ruled it out.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/
Peston has innteresting insights on the government's probable plans. I have to say investment in manufacturing seems like a very good idea, however it does leave many industries that make non-physical stuff, like software, out in the cold.
Society's to blame,
Or possibly Atari.
Don't we already have some investment in software though?
Are you referring to R&D tax credits ?
Society's to blame,
Or possibly Atari.
Don't know the details - know it's not much, but something that was aired in the past, especially relating to game software developers.
I foresee a "responsible" budget. There will be a few small sweeteners for voters, but they'll be more symbolic than worth anything much.
A VAT rise is an absolute no-no. Not now. After the election it's a whole new ball game, but weeks before one? No chance.
The rise in fuel duty could well be suspended. The logic will be that the fuel duty revenue went up when VAT came back in because the increase when they dropped VAT wasn't removed, and combined with some "better than expected" recent figures, they now have the ability to delay implementing that.
All told, it will be a "raise no waves" budget. He won't dare have the usual electorally biased give-away, because he knows full well that the likely reaction from the markets would be pandemonium, and that a further significant downward jump in sterling will be rammed down their throats by the Tories and LibDems between now and the election.
Someone (Robert Peston on Newsnight, I think) said he'll be aiming for a budget that will be forgotten by Friday or Saturday, and I agree.
He's got a balance to walk, between trying to get the maximum electoral benefit from a budget, while being conscious that the electorate aren't quite stupid enough not to see straight through a give-away budget, given the national debt and the deficit. He dare not look like it's a give-away for electoral reasons, but he dare not make it too strict either, in case it scares the voters. At the same time, it has to be strict enough to avoid scaring the markets.
His attitude to the budget will be that of someone walking through a minefield - no sudden moves, nothing too dramatic and being very, very careful where you put your feet.
I foresee even more of a yawnfest than normal.
I also see an "emergency" redrafting after the election. The Tories certainly will, and have said they will within 50 days. Labour have said that the are having the departmental spending review in the autumn, and by then at the latest, we'll see what the real steps will be, if Labour win.
In other words, the budget will be largely theatre, and theatre aimed at a couple of very different audiences at that.
Oh, and it'll be pitched as a steady hand, not cutting support too early. Note, it won't say they're not cutting support, but not cutting it too early. When they will cut it will be deliberately vague, but it'll be safely after the election.
Other than the odd headline-grabbing sweetener (like deferring or phasing the fuel duty rise, or something on tax credits), it'll be about "investment", to encourage "growth". This is because to come anywhere close to hitting their "half the deficit in four years" target, they have to achieve growth figures that almost nobody thinks are possible, so he has to be seen to be targeting spending at the economy .... without giving the unions a brown trouser moment by spelling out the public sector cuts that are coming.
This, pretty much. It doesn't matter what's in today's budget (is it really budget day? I didn't realise until I saw this thread...), because it only has to last 3 months. If Labour stay in I imagine we'll see some sweeping changes in personnel as they try to appear a changed party, and if the Conversatives get in they'll want to tear down Labour's legacy ASAP.
What happens if we get a hung parliament, is well beyond the ken of mortal men...
Another factor, and it's a bit of psychology.
It is a barely concealed secret that Brown tried to dump Darling and install Ed Balls as Chancellor, but couldn't make it stick. Rumour has it that Ed Balls was already packed, ready to move/
It is also believed that Brown wants more of an electoral give-away, and Darling wants something focussed on the economy. Normally, we might expect Brown to win that argument.
But look at Darling's position.
If Labour win the election, Brown will survive. The argument is that if he does, he will have the mandate, and the power within the party, to boot Darling out and install Ed Balls.
If Labour don't win, Osborne will be Chancellor and Darling is out anyway.
So ... the psychology is that there's no real pressure on Darling not to do it his way, and pretty much ignore Brown .... the way Brown as Chancellor pretty much ignored Blair.
He's started... everyone quiet
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8584505.stm
Nah, Jim. I can call that one too.....
What happens if we get a hung parliament, is well beyond the ken of mortal men...
We will get all the main parties talking about "working together", and "national unity", and cooperation .... while they sharpen their knives and hunt for suitable backs. They will pretend to be working for the economy, while at the same time, trying to work out what political advantage they can leverage behind the scenes. The LibDems in particular are, I would bet, absolutely salivating at the prospect, while at the same time trying to appear above it all and declaring that they aren't "kingmakers".
And if that does happen, as I confidently expect it will knowing what most politicians are like, the Heaven help the economy and the country.
he just mentioned Gaming sector.....
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