How a UK version of the ‘Buffett Tax’ could work

by Richard Murphy    
September 21, 2011 at 11:33 am

Buffett’s law is an idea gaining traction in the USA.

Of course it is wrong that billionaire’s pay less tax on their overall income than their secretarial staff. The question is what do we do about it?

There are remarkably simple solutions, all of which suit the tax simplification agenda.
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Shock as Tony Blair’s ‘offer’ to Palestinians is soundly rejected

by Flying Rodent    
September 21, 2011 at 9:20 am

Tony Blair’s reputation for scrupulous impartiality has been rather compromised after he presented Palestinian leaders with his most generous proposal – namely that, in exchange for dropping their bid for statehood and recognising Israel’s right to do whatever the fuck it likes, they would earn the right to re-enter the same negotiations that have been so very productive these last few years.

After all, Benny Netanyahu may have built his career upon the solid bedrock of opposition to a Palestinian state, but who’s to say he won’t change his mind tomorrow?
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The hottest fringe at Labour conference

by Sunny Hundal    
September 21, 2011 at 8:55 am

Liberal Conspiracy is proud to host a special fringe event at the Labour party conference along with the LabourList site.

The fringe event will squarely tackle the biggest debate within the party: whether Blue Labour has anything to offer in the aftermath of New Labour.

It will also be the only fringe discussion to host the journalist, author and Labour councillor Rowenna Davis – whose book Tangled Up in Blue will be serialised in the Guardian just before conference begins.

The full line-up will be confirmed later today. The event is being sponsored by the Fabian Society and Unite union.

Details: 1pm – 2:30pm, Monday 26th September
Liverpool Town Hall.

Do people still care about climate change?

by Guest    
September 20, 2011 at 9:49 am

contribution by Climate Sock

In the last two years, we’ve heard repeated claims that people are becoming less worried about climate change. The UEA email release – Climategate – has been blamed, though after trial may well have been innocent.

And despite some attempts to hype up the change in mood, opinion seemed to bounce back to near where it had been before.
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Vince Cable pushes for workers to have a say on exec pay

by Guest    
September 20, 2011 at 9:15 am

contribution by Janet Williamson

Vince Cable yesterday launched a Discussion Paper on executive pay, which includes a question on employee representation on remuneration committees.

Not quite a firm proposal, but the first time I am aware of that the possibility of worker representation on remuneration committees has been put forward in an official Government document.

And there are several reasons why this is a good idea.
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Liberal Democrats: the contradictions of populism

by Dave Osler    
September 19, 2011 at 2:40 pm

Much of the rhetoric emanating from the International Convention Centre in Birmingham over the last couple of days is marked by a degree of ostensible radicalism well beyond anything heard in ministerial speeches under New Labour.

Where business secretary John Hutton proclaimed that huge salaries were something to celebrate, his successor Vince Cable attacks ‘pay outs for failure’ and calls for workers and shareholders to have an input into deciding executive pay.

 Where Gordon Brown shamefully scrapped the 10p tax band – a move that left up to five million of the poorest people in Britain worse off – Nick Clegg entirely correctly advocates taking the low paid out of the income tax system altogether.

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Wiped out? Three reasons why the Libdems will recover

by Sunny Hundal    
September 19, 2011 at 2:37 pm

I keep seeing sensible people argue that the Libdems will be wiped out because of the Coalition (as some have across Europe) or because of the NHS reforms.

I’m afraid this is just wishful thinking. And furthermore, if Labour don’t get a majority at the next election, they may have to go into a coalition with the Libdems.

There are in fact several reasons why the Libdems are not going to be wiped out and will remain a deciding political force for a while.
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The graphs that show why Europe is on the verge of collapse

by Guest    
September 19, 2011 at 10:45 am

contribution by David Malone

For anyone who thinks that crushing the Greeks with even more debt and even more austerity will somehow ‘save’ europe’s insolvent banks here from Reuters is why it won’t.

This isn’t the fabled public debt wracked up by countless lazy, feckless layabouts doing nothing and expecting to be given flat screen televisions and hospital care they don’t deserve. This is debt created by, agreed to and marketed by private bankers throughout Europe – for which they received massive bonuses.
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Why the gay marriage consultation is a disgusting fudge

by Guest    
September 19, 2011 at 8:31 am

contribution by Peter Tatchell

The Liberal Democrat Equality Minister, Lynne Featherstone, has announced another long delay in the government’s promised consultation on same-sex marriage. It was supposed to commence in June this year. Now it has been put off until March next year. Why can’t the consultation start now?

I am not persuaded that there needs to be any consultation at all. The ban on same-sex marriage is homophobic discrimination and should therefore be repealed immediately.

If black or Jewish people had been banned from marriage, the government would act swiftly to ensure marriage equality. There would be no long drawn out consultation period. Why the double standards?
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Victory at Libdem conf: a motion to defend disabled people

by Guest    
September 18, 2011 at 8:11 pm

contribution by George Potter

I am typing this on the train home from Lib Dem conference – the conference doesn’t finish until Wednesday but I have work on Monday.

I am in a fairly ecstatic mood due to the incredible victory we won yesterday in passing the Employment Support Allowance (ESA) motion along with an amendment to it which strengthened it significantly.
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