Britons would pay more tax for a fairer society as COVID-19 exposes inequality

[snoop1130]

Britons would pay more tax for a fairer society as COVID-19 exposes inequality

By Emma Batha

 

Carer Lucy Skidmorenholds the hands of her 100-year-old great-grandmother and resident Joan Loosley at Fremantle Trust care home, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Princes Risborough, Britain, May 5, 2020. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

 

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Britons would be happy to pay higher taxes for a fairer, more caring and gender-equal society as the coronavirus pandemic transforms people's views about the world they want to live in, economists said on Wednesday.

 

In a major report to be presented to parliamentarians, regional governments and business leaders, they laid out a radical roadmap for building a "caring economy" that puts people and the planet first.

 

"This is an idea whose time has come," said Mary-Ann Stephenson, director of feminist think-tank the Women's Budget Group which published the report.

 

"People don't want to return to business as usual. We're calling for a fundamental change in the way we approach the economy. It's about a vision for doing things differently," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

 

At the heart of the new economy is a recognition of society's reliance on paid and unpaid care work - most of which is done by women - and the need to distribute this equally.

 

Proposals include introducing free social care, free childcare, equal sharing of parental leave, a fairer minimum wage, a universal basic income for retired people and reducing the working week to about 30 hours.

 

Stephenson said the pandemic could be a catalyst for reform in the same way as Britain's welfare system was introduced after World War Two.

 

The transformation could be funded by major changes to the taxation system and borrowing, she added.

 

Stephenson said the pandemic had brought into stark relief the importance of care work to the economy - both paid and unpaid.

 

Women do 60% more unpaid work than men, reducing their time for paid employment, impacting their earnings and leaving them poorer in old age, she said.

 

A poll published by the Women's Budget Group showed men, as well as women, overwhelmingly agreed a better balance was needed between paid work, caring responsibilities, and free time.

 

Three quarters of respondents thought economic equality between women and men was the mark of a good society.

 

Four in five respondents - including three quarters of men - agreed women and men should equally share caring for children, older and disabled relatives, with most saying the government should financially support men to provide more care.

 

"The way things work at the moment they don't work for women, but they don't work for men either," Stephenson said. "Just as women need some time free from care, men need time to care."

 

The survey of more than 2,000 people also showed a significant majority would be willing to pay more tax to support secure jobs for everyone, a pay rise for key workers, green transport and affordable housing.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-30

 

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[ThreeEyedRaven]

From dystopia to Utopia. Good luck with that.

[Rookiescot]

Just get the tax evaders and avoiders to pay their tax and the whole country would be far better off.

Estimates range but about 7 billion pounds per year is lost to the exchequer because of this.

Closing the shell companies operating in tax havens would be a good place to start.

I would also name and shame those caught doing it. It should carry the same social sigma as something like drink driving.  

Edited September 30, 2020 by Rookiescot

[DrTuner]

Quote

director of feminist think-tank

Whatever she said, take it as a message from the enemy.

Edited September 30, 2020 by DrTuner

[Chomper Higgot]

Well the idea of taxing online businesses didn’t last, the US didn’t like it.

[soalbundy]

Well the Brits will certainly pay more tax in the future, not so sure about the fairness bit, you may have to ask America for permission now that you have your country back.

[Chassa]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

caring economy

Sounds like something from 'Yes Prime Minister' 

[pixelaoffy]

Inequality in UK . What bull! 'inequality' in everywhere and it's relative! Come to SE Asia and you'll see what it really is !

[BritManToo]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Britons would be happy to pay higher taxes for a fairer, more caring and gender-equal society as the coronavirus pandemic transforms people's views about the world they want to live in, economists said on Wednesday.

Starting with the Queen, the Church, the Forestry commission and the National trust ....... who have more money and land than anyone else.

Redistribute their wealth and land before you come after the middle and working classes who have nothing.

Edited October 1, 2020 by BritManToo

[userabcd]

Deleted

 

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by userabcd

[Surelynot]

People don't need to pay more tax.........certain sections of society just need to start paying their fair share.

[Surelynot]

37 minutes ago, pixelaoffy said:

Inequality in UK . What bull! 'inequality' in everywhere and it's relative! Come to SE Asia and you'll see what it really is !

The old "not as bad as Hitler" argument...pathetic

[Surelynot]

16 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

From dystopia to Utopia. Good luck with that.

The UK is heading in the opposite direction...rapidly.

[DaLa]

As long as that fairer society does not require me to work 80 hours a week and pay additional taxes so that a number of so called ‘poverty-stricken’ can lounge around at home watching tv.

 

A global comparison would tell you that the UK is a reasonably fair socialist country and the article is an opinion from a female head of a ‘Women’s Budget Group’.

 

So firstly no surprise a woman would press for a greater socialist structure and secondly a totally unfounded headline.

[Surelynot]

5 minutes ago, DaLa said:

So firstly no surprise a woman would press for a greater socialist structure and secondly a totally unfounded headline.

New age man at his finest

[Orton Rd]

Get Amazon to start paying more first

[Pilotman]

Sod that idea.  40% is enough for me. 

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, pixelaoffy said:

Inequality in UK . What bull! 'inequality' in everywhere and it's relative! Come to SE Asia and you'll see what it really is !

well said and exactly right. They don't know that they're born in the UK. Cossetted from birth to death. My Thai Mother in Law has a pension equivalent to £12 per month. Try living on that, even in Thailand.  

Edited October 1, 2020 by Pilotman

[BigStar]

16 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

Just get the tax evaders and avoiders to pay their tax and the whole country would be far better off.

Exactly. But first and most obvious place to start is of course with the UK expats. So easy. Tax them all on their worldwide income and assets, including capital gains, to erase the tax advantage of moving their fat ar.ses to Thailand and claiming non-residency. After all, they're constantly pointing to that horrid Starbucks for legally not paying its "fair share" years ago in the UK. Should help so many to move back and end their constant whinging here. Repatriated UK expats are so much happier.

 

Suddenly I'm hearing "Taxman" playing the background. Hee.

Edited October 1, 2020 by BigStar

[Scott Tracy]

What is a fair society? One where a person who works 40 hours per week gets the same as anyone else working a 40 hour week? Everyone gets the same annual leave entitlement? Everyone gets to live in an affordable house, defined as 70% of average market price...or perhaps in a Government built block of flats. No one owns anything, no one inherits anything, any excess on death goes to the government, houses are not transferable to children.

 

Save me. Or perhaps shoot me.

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, Scott Tracy said:

Or perhaps shoot me.

Come the revolution they might.

[Chomper Higgot]

The reason why Brexit attracted funding and support from the UK’s hyper wealthy was it’s primary purpose, to avoid the U.K. having to join the CCCTB.

 

The CCCTB will, force corporations to pay taxes at the point of transaction and put an end to swathes of tax avoidance schemes.

 

The UK government is acting to protect tax avoiders at the cost to the rest of the nation.

 

If course they want the working and middle class to pay more taxes, are for the masses.

[Chomper Higgot]

7 minutes ago, Scott Tracy said:

What is a fair society? One where a person who works 40 hours per week gets the same as anyone else working a 40 hour week? Everyone gets the same annual leave entitlement? Everyone gets to live in an affordable house, defined as 70% of average market price...or perhaps in a Government built block of flats. No one owns anything, no one inherits anything, any excess on death goes to the government, houses are not transferable to children.

 

Save me. Or perhaps shoot me.

It seems you are willing to be shot in order to save you from the ramblings of your own mind.

 

I quite understand that.

[Chomper Higgot]

10 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Exactly. But first and most obvious place to start is of course with the UK expats. So easy. Tax them all on their worldwide income and assets, including capital gains, to erase the tax advantage of moving their fat ar.ses to Thailand and claiming non-residency. After all, they're constantly pointing to that horrid Starbucks for legally not paying its "fair share" years ago in the UK. Should help so many to move back and end their constant whinging here. Repatriated UK expats are so much happier.

 

Suddenly I'm hearing "Taxman" playing the background. Hee.

You assume UK expats aren’t paying UK tax, I doubt that is at all true.

 

As for deportation from Thailand for criticizing Starbucks not paying tax in the U.K., apart from being a tad harsh, how would that even work.

 

Perhaps you should examine the root of your emotions towards British expats in Thailand - just a thought.

 

[mommysboy]

It's really about reducing economic inequality.  This is just a thinly veiled feminist agenda which at best could be described as facile.

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Starting with the Queen, the Church, the Forestry commission and the National trust ....... who have more money and land than anyone else.

Redistribute their wealth and land before you come after the middle and working classes who have nothing.

The 32 million tourists that visit the UK predominately come because of Royalty and UK history. The cost of the Royals is miniscule to the amount of revenue they attract through tourism

[expat_4_life]

They are trying to shame you into accepting more taxes, you're some kind of bigot, racist or don't

support equality if ur opposed.  Constant narrative of big government. Govt has plenty of revenue

utilized poorly.

 

No sane people are willing to accept more taxes.

[4737 Carlin]

They should scrap the benefits system if they want a fairer society. Its a magnet for lazy opportunists. Only former taxpayers who've fallen on hard times should be eligible for free stuff. The rest should go into a workhouse - no work, no food.

[baansgr]

47 minutes ago, Scott Tracy said:

What is a fair society? One where a person who works 40 hours per week gets the same as anyone else working a 40 hour week? Everyone gets the same annual leave entitlement? Everyone gets to live in an affordable house, defined as 70% of average market price...or perhaps in a Government built block of flats. No one owns anything, no one inherits anything, any excess on death goes to the government, houses are not transferable to children.

 

Save me. Or perhaps shoot me.

That would be a start, but should go a lot further

[AgMech Cowboy]

1 hour ago, Surelynot said:

People don't need to pay more tax.........certain sections of society just need to start paying their fair share.

And other sections of society need to take vocational training and education (Primary and secondary) more seriously. Then they can get better paying jobs and not live off of others. That will reduce the number of low skilled workers, which will increase demand and thereby their wages, unless the government continues to fill that area of employment with unskilled immigrants.