That time of year again

I’m on the last page of my calendar and so it dawns on me that we’re at that time of year again, when smug adverts from the government will have “friendly” cartoon chaps or amusing eccentric types telling us that handing over vast chunks of our money for the government to piss up the wall is actually quite a pleasant thing to do. I am of course referring to the traditional “tax needn’t be taxing” campaign which comes around to brighten everyone’s Christmas.

That’s right apparently the tax man taking 70% of your earnings isn’t really so bad, you know paying the (reportedly) Top tax rate in the world is really cool, given how much we get for it. It is in fact so much fun to pay that since the Government brought in the 50p rate two thirds of millionaires have left obviously paying that much tax was too much fun for them. I suspect that having gone through the effort of upping sticks like that they’ll not be in a rush to come back, and Thomas Pascoe makes a cogent argument that the innovators just starting out are probably buggering off as well before they set down roots in this country. After all why innovate in a country which is going to take a minimum of a third of what you make upfront before you even get started, with the promise of taking even more the better you do your self. Oh and that genius 50p rate wheeze has already reduced tax revenue by 7 billion so that worked well.

We’re told that it’s all the fault of big bad companies not paying taxes here, but instead paying them in cheaper tax regimes in Europe – which is seen as the companies fault when it’s a design feature of the very EU our great and good and uk-uncut types seem so keen for us to remain part of. Even that though neglects the problem that comanies don’t pay taxes, people do, which to my mind makes the moral argument against high levels of taxation even stronger. Oh and that “minimum pricing” I’ve been banging on about that will raise inflation raising benefits meaning we’ll all get taxed more to cover it.

Beyond all that it’s worth remembering that even paying all of your taxes like you’re told to isn’t always enough to stop the taxman randomly destroying your livelihood. Still I suppose someone has to pay for all those cheery friendly advertising campaigns to tell us how easy it is to pay taxes.

Update If the above wasn’t enough they’re now checking to see if you’re spending more than they think you should be able to. Don’t mention that our MPs are still fiddling their expenses whilst lecturing us about a small minority not paying their share and cheating the system.

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