Politics Blog
Gordon Brown’s Gone Green
THE news today is dominated by what The Goblin King is going to do in the budget. Various leaks (apologies, off the record briefings) over the weekend lead to different stories. The Telegraph buys some Tory research showing that he will impose his 100th tax rise when he speaks. The Guardian emphasises green tax breaks for home generation. You’ll not pay income tax on power you sell back to the grid: lucky that, as the systems need hundreds of years to make a profit anyway. Higher taxes on Chelsea tractors as well, as the Independent also notes. Just think! 225,000 people paying more tax. That’ll save the planet! Further, we should, according to one pressure group, raise taxes on flying. Because the rich do it being enough justification.
Olympic Fun & Games
IF you want to know where the money actually goes, Sam Leith says Tessa Jowell is like someone caught in a Nigerian 419 scam. Yes, of course the Olympics budget was based on a lie but let’s just keep spending money shall we? Phillip Johnston also points out the law of unintended consequences over rule changes. Tax rubbish more and you’ll inevitably get fly-tipping.
Scams Flower
Interesting scams, over and above the Olympics, include battery eggs sold as organic, 500 million supposedly. Or we could all concentrate on March 24th and heal a geranium (but how do they know that a geranium will need healing that day?). William Rees-Mogg is standing by Conrad Black.
Best Thing Since Global Warming
Peter Preston on the British weather: yes, it’s solved the water problem. Interestingly, he also notes that climate change is expected to give us warmer, wetter, winters, so it’s not going to be a problem in the future. There is some good to it, you see! The Guardian leader wants a new phrase for the best thing since sliced bread: what’s so great about it after all?
Simple Folk
The Independent continues its sterling role in promoting olds as news. Country folk are poor, ill, mental and bigots. Just as Marx pointed out about the idiocy of rural life.
Adam Smith Institutionalised
Now that we’ve got Adam Smith on the banknotes, Tristram Hunt tries to claim him (unsuccessfully) for the left and Stephen King does a much better job. Tom Hamilton discovers an unexpected benefit of the new notes.
Posted: 19th, March 2007 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
