Field artillery
James Forsyth 3:22pm
Frank Field was once famously lifted off his feet by his lapels by Gordon Brown, so enraged was Brown by Field’s criticism of him. Considering this, Field would we well advised to steer clear of the great clunking fist after writing this on his blog:
“During no move since has the Government been able to get itself ahead of the curve, and thereby perhaps influence the course of events. The latest example is over VAT.
It was a fatuous move from the very beginning. And when we had a chance in Parliament sometime before Christmas to debate it I voted against, making a plea that the billions being borrowed to finance the VAT cut should be channelled into new forms of credit for viable businesses who might otherwise go under in the credit crunch.Weeks and weeks later the Government still hasn’t announced how it can throw extra lifelines to viable companies who are being denied a working capital from the banks. Giving the banks more assets for capitalisation is almost as pointless as the VAT cut. The Government now has a small clutch of nationalised banks. Why isn’t it using them to get credit out to viable firms?
This failure alone will result in unemployment higher that it need otherwise be.”
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JohnAnt
January 8th, 2009 3:54pm Report this commentAh, but it'll be unemployment in the private sector. That's the government's desired outcome. Nothing short of the nationalisation of the country's entire economy will do. Maxton must be vindicated, or else.
Ted Tedford
January 8th, 2009 4:09pm Report this commentI no more believe that lapels thing than I do the 'here's 10p' 'quip' to Mandelson: both read like esprit d'escalier propaganda designed to make McSnotty seem (a) decisive, (2) tough, (c) sharp-witted and (iv) funny, when all the evidence in the public sphere suggests that he is neither.
Verity
January 8th, 2009 4:48pm Report this commentWeeks and weeks later the Government still hasn’t announced how it can throw extra lifelines to viable companies who are being denied a working capital from the banks.
That's because it doesn't know. This is government by the Marx Brothers. Chaos.
Stephen Walkley
January 8th, 2009 4:55pm Report this commentThe VAT cut goes directly to companies who "add value" It is quick way of reducing the costs to companies who actually do things in the UK.
Colin
January 8th, 2009 5:18pm Report this commentHe's in the wrong party...
m dowding
January 8th, 2009 5:27pm Report this commentOne of the best MPs in The House by a mile. Come on over Frank, good manners in The Tories!
I, for one, would love to see you and IDS nurturing social deprivation and improving the least able's lot.
Rhoda Klapp
January 8th, 2009 5:39pm Report this commentThe VAT cut goes to companies who add value? In that they used to claim back 17.5%, now they claim back 15%. They don't pay VAT on stuff they buy. They don't keep the VAT on stuff they sell. Ergo VAT changes don't affect registered businesses at all, just punters. Who haven't responded to the cut very much if at all.
Still waiting for the derivation of 12.5bn for the VAT cut. This was a theoretical figure unlikely to be met in practice, so those who are suggesting alternatives should not assume there are £12.5bn going begging.
Susan Hill
January 8th, 2009 6:01pm Report this commentI second that m dowding. He is one of the best MPs and a man of great probity. One of the very very few. I once shared an Any Questions ? panel with him and a train journey home afterwards and his concern for the poor then (no euphemisms for him, he talked of 'the poor' not the 'socially excluded') was manifest, genuine and humbling. A politician with a conscience. Now there`s rare.
Athesius the Facilitator
January 8th, 2009 6:27pm Report this commentIt would be impossible for Broon and Alistair to get us out of this hole they dug even if they where capable. Why? Because all their energy is used fighting the Tory's. Instead of being brave, making decisions and sticking to them. All they care about is if their announcements trump the Tory's, if they don't lets try another one and then another one after that and then we can use our announcements to smack the Tory legs. Then next we will jump up and belittle everything the Tory's say. Surely even they can do better than this, it is beyond parody.
Athesius the Facilitator
January 8th, 2009 6:27pm Report this commentIt would be impossible for Broon and Alistair to get us out of this hole they dug even if they where capable. Why? Because all their energy is used fighting the Tory's. Instead of being brave, making decisions and sticking to them. All they care about is if their announcements trump the Tory's, if they don't lets try another one and then another one after that and then we can use our announcements to smack the Tory legs. Then next we will jump up and belittle everything the Tory's say. Surely even they can do better than this, it is beyond parody.
nick
January 8th, 2009 11:54pm Report this comment"The VAT cut goes to companies who add value? In that they used to claim back 17.5%, now they claim back 15%. They don't pay VAT on stuff they buy. They don't keep the VAT on stuff they sell. Ergo VAT changes don't affect registered businesses at all..."
It's worse than that, and not just because of the admin costs of repricing everything. The reduction in VAT on road fuel, which businesses could reclaim, was balanced by an increase in fuel duty, which businesses cannot reclaim. Therefore the "VAT cut" has actually been a tax *increase* for business.
seb
January 15th, 2009 9:04pm Report this commentI remember Michael Brunson describing being on the receiving end of some vilely obscene invective from Kampbell because Brunson hadn't repeated the things Kampbell has told him to say in his political coverage. Brunson seemed not to have been upset about it but I would have thought most men would have followed up such abuse by re-arranging Kampbell's reproductive parts with the metal toe-cap of a stout boot.
I had not heard the anecdote about Gordon the Moron physically abusing Frank Field. Just what is Brown's ailment? Autism? Sociopathic personality disorder? Why is this man not removed from his job? Forget the election, look up the provisions of the Mental Health Act.
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