Kwasi Kwarteng’s audacity shows Labour still has precious ideas to offer
Electric Blues
EVEN with critics still reeling at the audacity of Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-Budget, the Chancellor is already recharging the economic defibrillators for another jolt of tax cuts in the New Year.
To which we say: about time.
For too long — if partly by necessity of the pandemic in recent years — the Conservatives have been parked on the centre ground, often operating from a Blairite or Brownite playbook.
The spleen-venting over Mr Kwarteng’s most controversial call — ditching the 45 per cent top tax rate for those on over £150,000 — ignores the fact that, throughout the Blair years, it was the exact same as the new 40 per cent levy.
Nonetheless it’s true that the move does give Labour an easy line of attack, as does the Government’s reluctance to trumpet the fact that it IS already subjecting energy giants to a windfall tax — one which is raising around £30billion.
Yesterday Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer confirmed he would retain the vast majority of the Chancellor’s tax cuts if he gained power.
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The Tories need to do far more to sell the merits of their dash for growth — and expose the fact that Labour still has precious few ideas of its own to offer.
Kingly feeling
THERE is perhaps no greater sign of the nation’s renewed affection for the monarchy than Labour feeling a sudden pang of patriotism and playing God Save The King to kick off their party conference.
Predictably, the playing of the national anthem in front of an enormous Union Flag riled Jeremy Corbyn — always a sign of a positive development.
Our poll today reinforces the sense that King Charles enjoys a level of public support once feared unachievable, with seven times more Brits believing he will make a good ruler than a bad one.
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That goodwill extends to the King’s vision of a slimmed-down monarchy.
With many of his subjects already having to cut their cloth more frugally, his revamp can’t come soon enough.
PayPolitics
IN the social media age, certain firms have developed a sinister belief that it is their duty to foist their politics on customers.
The latest firm to develop a touch of “the Ben & Jerry’s” is digital payment platform PayPal, which suddenly blocked targeted users from accessing funds because of their political beliefs.
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Leave aside that in many cases the beliefs of these users — including free speech activists and parents’ groups — were fairly mainstream, who the hell does PayPal think it is?
As we move towards a cashless society, legislation to protect consumers from being arbitrarily “cancelled” by Big Tech has never seemed more urgent.