One of the few valid uses in this country, of 4x4s and other large private vehicles, is the towing caravans – an activity that is apparently becoming more popular. The government, however, intends to put an £1800 road tax on such vehicles, taking this activity out of the reach of all but the likes of Margaret Beckett. Their other idea is for a pollution tax on airlines. Fears that this will also take holidays abroad out of the reach of many are answered with, “But it will be the airlines who’ll be paying the tax.” This statement shows a frighteningly weak grasp of company finances we’ve come to expect from Labour.
But this is all cool. The government doesn’t want us going on holidays. It wants us working perpetually to pay endless taxes. It especially doesn’t want us holidaying abroad and spending our money outside rip-off Britain. It doesn’t want us to know about over-the-counter drugs at a third the price of the prescription charge, or about cigarettes at a quarter the price they are here, wine at a pound a litre, half price food while eating out and half price petrol at the pump. It needs us to stay and finance ministers’ foreign junkets, a burgeoning bureaucracy, Blair’s job-hunting in the US, Prescott’s non-job and the fleet of new Jaguars ministers now require (they couldn’t get the fleet of Zils they wanted).
More ‘do as I say, not as I do’. More, one rule for us and no rules for them.
But this is all cool. The government doesn’t want us going on holidays. It wants us working perpetually to pay endless taxes. It especially doesn’t want us holidaying abroad and spending our money outside rip-off Britain. It doesn’t want us to know about over-the-counter drugs at a third the price of the prescription charge, or about cigarettes at a quarter the price they are here, wine at a pound a litre, half price food while eating out and half price petrol at the pump. It needs us to stay and finance ministers’ foreign junkets, a burgeoning bureaucracy, Blair’s job-hunting in the US, Prescott’s non-job and the fleet of new Jaguars ministers now require (they couldn’t get the fleet of Zils they wanted).
More ‘do as I say, not as I do’. More, one rule for us and no rules for them.
10 comments:
although we all hate taxes, you must admit the state of the roads, cleanliness of the streets, healthcare etc. etc. are much worse in those countries where you can buy goods at a third of the price.
For example, Greece is a wonderful country and price of many items are much cheaper than here, however, whenever you drive anywhere outside or athens you are likely to find the road has fallen down the mountain side, or there is a pot hole the size of a bus. Athens itself is one of the dirtiest and polluted european cities I have been to. The state of their monuments is a disgrace and I say it is lucky that elgin saved the marbles otheerwise they too would have been destroyed by pollution
I'm afraid I have to disagree. Though some things in those places may not be as good, healthcare is often as good (and cheaper), public transport is often superb and living costs are much lower. I would prefer that to our bloated politicians and punitive taxes, and a few monuments seems a small price to pay. Anyway, why worry about roads when so many now drive 4x4s?
"Blair’s job-hunting in the US"
funniest line ever.
a pack of cigarettes will soon cost about 7.00 US in california.
Did anyone learn anything from Prohibition?
I think a pack of smokes costs $9CND here and anti smoking lobbyists want to increase a pack of smokes to $12 and remove what's called "The power wall" of smokes visible at the counter.
Cost of living is always on the rise affected mostly by the price of oil/fuel. When shipping companies have to spend more money at the pump to fill up they pass those costs onto the consumer but the ammount of taxes over and above that is just gouging by Govt.
Fortunately here in Alberta we are the only Province without a Provincial sales tax. Taxes slow the economy down. It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure that out. But by imposing silly tax like Poll tax and Entertainment tax (Manitoba)taxes is obviously gouging.
Alberta is the fastest growing economy in North America. Why? Partially because we're an energy producing Province and secondly no sales tax. If I was a fortune 500 company looking to expand, I'd want to expand into dynamic areas like that, especially since there is no sales tax and my costs are down. Hence, we here in Alberta are the only Province in Canada that is Debt free. Matter of fact, because of the oil and gas royalties over the last 2 years every Albertan (me included)received a $400 royalty cheque. Granted it was a one time gift. The only ones that did not qualify to receive the $400 prosperity cheque were prisoners in jal and those that did not file 2005 tax return.It was just a one time gift though. OF course even children with families that filed got the $400 gift as a family. It was pretty nifty.
Sorry for the long reply.
Maybe the post last atempt was too long.
A pack of smokes costs $9 here in Canada.
We don't have a sales tax here in Alberta but gasoline is still over priced.
I think prohibition wasn't so much as to deny people alcohol but rather an atempt to put heat on organized crime in it's day.
Prohibition just gave organized criminals something more to sell and so they expanded their business. The huge taxes on cigarettes here - a pack of twenty costs about £4.80 - have resulted in a massive growth in the black market. A lot of people don't bother buying them from the shops but go to their local smuggler.
excellent. i always wanted to get into organized crime, i just didn't know how.
i now look forward to the creation of the smoke-easies i have considered for some time.
plus, i'll look smashing in my pin-stripe suits.
kirby "the tobacco baron" uber
Anon says: "although we all hate taxes, you must admit the state of the roads, cleanliness of the streets, healthcare etc. etc. are much worse in those countries where you can buy goods at a third of the price."
Sorry, I also disagree with this.
Greece, Spain, France, Italy... pretty equal to the UK in these areas, as far as I can tell. In some places the roads might be a bit worse, but at least there's not usually a 10 mile tailback to contend with.
L4.80 a pack is almost like $10 bucks here. I'm glad I don't smoke.
But your right about the black market for smokes. Most everyone in our call center office smokes and they had to send a rep to one of the First Nations reserves out here to get smokes at a significant discount. We had this fellow at work selling bootleg smokes. They were lose bundles in clear packages he'd carry around in his duffle bag but he got busted in a larger sting operation a few months ago hrtr in the City.
There are some things though that haven't gone up in price over the last 25 years. Saourkraout is still the same, a hit of blotter acid is still $5 bucks (so they tell me)
It costs what $12 to see a first run movie these days, and in my diary 1983 I still have m Star Wars ticket at $5.50CND. Books have gone up significantly. It wasn't that long ago they were the same cost of movies. I paid $10+ for Brass Man in paperback. And I only make $8hr. LoL, but I love good books.
Inflation sucks but what can you do? Maybe join a book club.
Will prohibition ever return? Maybe if the religious right get their way.
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