Introducing the Nelson tax

TGF UKIP

As I've said so many times before, if only Fraser Nelson were leader of the Conservative party instead of the present green, pc, priggish, posturing London ninny, I would be so glad to vote for them.

Rhuarc

Isn't it interesting that all the ones stung (Byers, Hewitt, Hoon) are Brown's enemies. I wonder if there was any Brownite input into the sting campaign (i.e. Whelan).

oldtimer

Nor, re Blair, should we forget the thoughtful way he succeeded in getting all his Parliamentary expense and allowance claims shredded before he left office.

If he comes back on the campaign trail, as suggested in the Sundat Telegraph, I hope that journalists will relentlessly pursue him with the questions:
(1) how much did he claim and
(2) why he felt the need to shred those claims.

Philip Painter

Will conservatives sign up to this, I wonder?

Chris

I would go further. No pension AT ALL. If they can earn in the private sector then they don't need my money. Their pension surrendered would guarantee many more pensions for those on low pay, you know, those ones Gordo raided...

Tom Pride

Seems you’re angry Fraser. But, don’t fall for Brownian Complexity, keep it simple.

Take a leaf out of their own Marxist / Maoist book – and make them pay for the bullet.

Gawain

Journalists should also ask Blair whether he currently pays full UK income and other taxes on all his earnings from whatever source and whether he has done so on all his earnings since he left office. The man is as slippery as a swarm of eels and has very expensive tastes. If there is a legal dodge he can use to avoid paying full taxes I would bet he's doing it !

Rex Burr

My options; don’t vote, vote for UKIP or vote Tory.
This proposal from a Tory based publication, along with the next item relating to James Tyler could sway me towards the latter option.
It’s a shame that Cameron’s pronouncements, which seem to be designed to ‘not scare the horses’, seldom have this effect.

Ken

Great idea. Sadly wont work.
They'll become non doms in a trice, al la Windrush Blair.

Tiberius

The trouble with your scheme, Fraser, is that it will drive all the best candidates for MPs abroad.
;

Moraymint

Oh f**k, there are days when I lose the will to live when reflecting on how our shameless political class screws us taxpaying serfs from arsehole to breakfast time.

We should hang the lot of them; they stink.

DavidDP

I know this is tongue in cheek, but still, little difference in targeting bankers to targeting MPs. I seem to recall you were against the former......

Noa Zrk

Fraser

An excellent analysis though your nuanced treatment of Cabinet minister's pensions, whilst recognising the wrong, doesn't begin to right it.

I would like to see a criminal offence of malfeasence in public office, encompassing abuse of that office whether as an incumbent or arising from it.

If our public servants don't know how to behave honestly we need to set standards for them.

Tiberius

Our best candidate MPs will move abroad?

So your argument is that we must accept their potential corruption and dishonesty as part of the Parliamentary process? despite the salaries and pensions we pay?
I would say that out of the 60m in the UK we can find a plethora of candidate MPs who offer ideals and honesty over the current 630 self serving troughers.

I propose denying former ministers any state money (including gold-plated MPs pension) for as long as their private income exceeds a certain threshold: three times the average salary of £70,000 a year. Now I wonder how many MPs would back that reform.

Andy Leeds

I have a much better idea. Those who seek and gain public office receive no remuneration whatsoever. You do it purely for the honour of serving the State. Same would apply in local councils.

Major Plonquer

Tiberius says: The trouble with your scheme, Fraser, is that it will drive all the best candidates for MPs abroad.

What a dumb thing to say. All the best candidates for MPs already live abroad and most have done so since 1997. Face facts. The dumb people left living in the UK eleceted a Labour government. Three times.

SO why don't you join us. Come to Asia. The jiaozi is fabulous.

Major Plonquer

I think we should REWARD some politicians for their services to society. For example, Gordon Brown saved the world. Brown should therefor be rewarded by being allocated a tax credit. By applying for his tax credit (a simple 38 page form) he would be eligible for a 50% reduction of the Nelson Tax.

In effect, I think we'd all like to see Gordon Brown in a Half Nelson.

Bickers

Average salary £70,000 - how about the voters' average salary which is nearer £20,000

Fred smith

Not sure why anyone would sign up to it really. It is yet another impediment to someone wanting to be an MP as their hands willbe tied afterwards.

Tiberius

Noa; Major: see the wink symbol at the end of my post.

It's a bit of a mixed blessing that blogs generally don't do smilies because irony, sarcasm, cool and anger can often be missed.

Findlay

While a hanged parliament is desirable, the interim solution is to reduce all public sector pensions by the same proportion that private sector pensions were reduced by Gordon's tax raid.