Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Sorry cyners but I happen to think you should stand up on your own 2 feet in this world.

Ive given my lad £200 to buy books with in his first year at UNI and Ive told him to use it well as thats all hes getting.

He knows what my views are, hes a sensible lad and hel make the most of that money I know that.

As for que jumping on education and health, sorry I cant abide it.

Cyners you southereners get far higher wages than people in the north for the same job. Maybe this just evens things up, and dont forget call me dave and IDS think everyone should be more mobile so yes you can come and live in the shit hole thats known as west yorkshire or even worse parts of lancashire, rochdale for example.

Im sure their will be a job waiting.....................................NOT.

what you do with your money is (and should be) entirely up to you ...... however, if i pay my insurance contributions but choose to give my (grand)children the chance of a better education, why should i not do so? ....... if i pay my NHS contributions but also choose to pay for private health care, why should i not do so?

did i have a private education? ..... indeed i did, but assuredly did not take proper advantage of the opportunities offered

have a i created whatever wealth i now happen to have? ...... yes, pretty much, so why should i not pass that on if i so choose?

living in yorkshire ...... i can think of many good reasons for so doing, and my older son now does so ..... not only is housing about half the price, but living costs in general are much cheaper, and assuredly his quality of life is very much better than it would be if he lived in the home counties

Cyners yep I agree.....

what you do with your money is (and should be) entirely up to you

EXCEPT for health and education.

You come into this world born equal but equal for some a lot in fact means not equal, just because your parents did well doesnt mean you should get a foot up on anybody else or not given a new heart because you can afford it and they can.

Thats the hypocrisy of this world very similar to daves call 'we are all in this together' ...MY ARSE.

gf
You cannot stop queue jumping in education. When a state school gets a reputation for excellence then wealthy people buy houses close to the school to gain entry. That cannot be stopped. Where I live the local school is full of kids who are the children of champagne socialists. The catchment area for the school is about 600 yards. Outside that area you don't get a place. Consequently all the houses near the school start at £1m.


If you stop private health care then the wealthiest will leave the country. When I had my software business we paid for private health insurance for ALL the staff.


An interesting aside is that a number of trade unions have had their own hospitals just for their members.

I think income tax rates should reduce as earnings increase. Why should somebody earning £100k contribute more than somebody earning £25k? They don't get any more for the extra money they've contributed, so it's only fair imo that a zero-rate tax band should be introduced on earnings above £100k.

Btw, it costs £550 to set up a company in the BVI and nearly as much again to service it annually. It also costs around another £750 to set up an offshore bank account, virtual office and all the other gubbins.

If the government were to introduce a zero-rate tax band for high earners, that's £1,300 that could go back into the economy!

3 M.

For god sake don't send them to your MP if a tory, or they will think it a good method of rising taxes or revenue for the party.

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Part of the problem with London prices is that is was subsidised by London ratings, which paid disproportionate wages.

This passed into the housing market and went with the house holder went they sold up and moved out.

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I don't see why a group of people should avoid financial responsibilities and pass excessive amounts on their children at the expense of the general tax payers who enabled them to make their "pots".

Even, if it is legal, it could be consider morally questionable, but the latter is within in the eyes of the operator. But it does seems the attitude of what you can get away with is O.K. A bit like a self selecting Mafia.

Hilary
That would be a lot fairer as the wealthiest consume less per capita of the services that taxes pay for.

Perhaps an extension to that idea would be useful. High earners could get a card to show how much they earn. This could be shown to buy goods without paying any VAT.


As the burden for the welfare state comes from the poorest then they should pay the most tax. The poor should pay for health care as they are more unhealthy. Smoking and obesity have become working class problems.

GF.

If your son has good results at the end of the year, give him a 1K and encourage him to do the same next year.

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If successful at end of degree, cover his expenses for his education.

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You can afford it.

Did more or less that for 4 daughters. Satisfied with the outcome.

The idea of a card sounds great, Haystack. Do you think they would do platinum cards to use in shops north of Watford?

Not sure where Watford is! I usually work to north of Hendon or North Circular.

As there appears to be a surfeit of unemployed people it would make sense to allocate them to more wealthy families as servants. This would act as a reward for the high earners and give the servants something useful to do. I believe the system worked quite well some years ago.

FRED a lot of the higher property prices in London aswel are fueled by the promotion of the likes of call me Dave inviting rich foreigners into the country. Indians yesterday, chinese a year ago French 6 month back...oh yes the red carpet treatment .

At the same time people like school teachers are forced to rent and in turn this further pushes prices up.

Thats why you are getting modest houses at £1 million or more.

Still an election winner for Labour.

Tesco Magazine ‏@TescoMagazine

Have you ever wanted to ask the Prime Minister a question? Click here to find out how: #tescomagPMQs

http://bit.ly/Xksp37

Question Dave?........... is it true you were shagging Rebbeca Wade and in fact horseback rather than bareback.

If that was true they would both be showing poor taste.


Uggh,

Joined you guys long in CIU cape. Talked me in to it.

(fos)fred - i have been lucky in that all my children seem to have avoided drink and drugs, got good A-level results and subsequent degress and are all now gainfully employed in their chosen fields ...... that is not to say that any of them strolled into jobs or did not suffer the usual trials and tribulations along the way - e.g. periods of unemployment and similar

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gf - post 21599 is a load of total and utter rubbish with no factual base whatsoever ..... it's the sort of tosh that i would expect (fos)fred to write, but i thought you had more sense

I'm voting for the Hilary / Haystack party