Dan Howitt

Can’t make this up. VAT on school fees 20%, but attractions 5%. What utter morons - they’d rather we’re all poorer than allow private sector education to succeed whilst bunging us all a bonus for a day out! I couldn’t have more contempt for this Government!

US - let's take bottom % out of income tax. UK - let's raise capital gains tax, and take less tax. I wonder what planet these people live on. From the point of aspirations and goals, raising taxes is just pure failure, zero ambition and lazy. Grow the economy FFS! Incentives drive everything.

Paging @wesstreeting - this is how the real economy works.

@DanNeidle You will smash the UK as a tech centre with this virtue. Capital = risk. The likelihood is that revenue receipts will be lower as well.

The problem: it's too easy for people to convert income (taxed at top rate 45%) into capital gains (top rate 24%). The rate is too low. Unjust. Also distortive, 'cause an incentive to lock cash up in companies (looking to eventually make a capital gain). Bad for growth.

Stunned, appalled, shocked etc to see actual tax reform from a politician. This from Wes Streeting today. A thread on why capital gains tax is broken. It's too low AND too high. & why this is a good proposal.

Inflate the money supply, run up huge deficits, PUMP assets and tax you at 40% on exit! The kicker… it will generate less tax receipts! This is an attack on entrepreneurs across the U.K. MORONS

They want to build a datacentre in Surrey. We don't need them. Build them in China like the factories. I don't know a single person who uses a datacentre. Everyone's got Facebook on their phone now. If you don't have one there's a computer at our local library. Enough.

@JayW132 Embarrassing AF.

HS2. A masterclass in how Britain destroys money. The cost: • 2011: £32.7bn • 2013: £45bn • 2015: £55.7bn • 2019: up to £88bn • 2020: up to £106bn • 2026: up to £102.7bn… for a fraction of the original route What’s been cut along the way: • 2021: Eastern leg to Leeds: SCRAPPED • 2022: Golborne link to Scotland: SCRAPPED • 2023: Birmingham → Manchester leg: SCRAPPED • 2023: Crewe hub: SCRAPPED • Euston terminus: paused, downsized from 10 platforms to 6, now needs private finance Original plan: 11 cities, 340 miles, £32bn, open 2026. What we’re getting: 4 stations, 140 miles, £100bn+, open 2039. A national embarrassment, paid for by taxpayers.

@RichardBurgon Inflation and closer to the BRRRRRR

New figures show British billionaire wealth is UP again. It’s more than DOUBLED since 2010. ▪️2010: £250bn ▪️2026: £670bn While millions struggle to get by, the billionaire class keeps taking more and more. Tax extreme wealth now!

I could write a book on neurodivergent children. I could write an even longer book on the inadequacy of the NHS, how girls are being overlooked, how hyperactive presentation trumps resources. How after 2 years waiting for an NHS diagnosis you are told to ring an 0800 number for mental heath and ‘self refer’. Not a single consultant has met my daughter face to face after 2 years!

@JayW132 🐸

I was at the pub the other night and got chatting to a friend of a friend. He'd just turned 30. Good job. Smart guy. The kind of person you'd expect to have it figured out. He started talking about what he thought his 30s would look like when he was younger. The house. The progress. The sense that life would keep moving forward. Then he said this, which baffled me… "The yacht is a distant memory… I've accepted I can't buy a house in London. I'm stuck on the same wage. I thought it would be better, but at least I can still afford to come to the pub with my mates." The wild thing was that he wasn't angry or complaining. He'd just quietly accepted it. And I honestly can’t stop thinking about it, because it's not just him. It's a generation. Not raging against the system. Just adapting to it. I guess this is what happens when a currency slowly loses its value over decades: it gives generations time to adapt without realising the impact it's having on their lives. Just people slowly lowering their expectations and calling it life. Wanted to share this because I surround myself with optimistic people every day, and coming out of that bubble really surprised me.

They think they can do what they like without a mandate. The problem isn't Starmer. It's Labour.

How labour solve problems ‘we need to nationalise water, transport and energy.’ ‘We should rejoin the EU’. The cost of nationalisation will be colossal the new sectors of the state will cry every year for more funding. Rejoining the EU ignores 17 million people who voted out. EU is the compliance state, the advantage is being out of it and capitalising on being out of it. I hope Reform obliterate Burnham it will send a clear message. With any luck an election. The silver bullets - reduce the tax burden and reduce public spending.

@PolitlcsUK @zerohedge It will not create any growth.

🚨 BREAKING: Wes Streeting calls for the Government to rejoin the EU "Leaving the EU was a catastrophic mistake"

@RobertJenrick All starts with energy policy.

I am looking to hire a chief economic advisor. As Reform prepare for government we are looking to expand our growing team of policy advisors. I’m after an exceptionally talented individual with a strong grounding in macro economics. If you’re passionate about getting growth again in the economy, and have ideas to shake up our stale economic debate, this role is for you. We have a once in a generation opportunity to build a new economic model that transforms this country for the better. If you have the energy and determination to do that with us, this role is for you. The job will involve: -policy development -modelling -in-depth research No experience in Westminster is required. Business experience is preferable. The pay is highly competitive, but variable depending on the candidate. Please email your CV and a cover letter to jenrickr@parliament.uk Applications close on the 29th May but will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

@KathrynPorter26 @UKLabour Seems daft given the current environment.

@UKLabour is out of their minds to want to put this ban into law

Bitcoin is the best performing asset of the decade… ...but most companies are still stuck with 2017 narratives pushed by mainstream media. This is why it’s fantastic we’re finally having this conversation at AccountEx London at the ExCel. Our Director, Susie Violet Ward will be moderating a panel on why accountants need to put Bitcoin on their balance sheets. Huge thanks to Caroline Hoben and the AccountEx team for making this happen! Really looking forward to discussing this with my fellow panelists Dan Howitt, Jordon Walker & James Dewar. Panel: 14 May - ExCel London at 2:20pm Register below: accountex.co.uk/london/

Starmer’s speech was basically: 1. More of what hasn’t worked 2. More Europe which is broken 3. More everything I disagree with is far right Bro, leave us alone and stop stealing all our money. The British people are awesome, let them unleash their entrepreneurial power.

Just cut taxes.

@trussliz Growth = cut taxes.

Has there ever been a more nakedly political (and incompetent) Governor of the Bank of England? Yet we are told he is "independent"

Claude!

@ATaylorFPGA @davidparry100 Makes so much sense. We are very good at business in the U.K., but the tax and compliance burden has shackled us. MTD going to make it much worse.

@davidparry100 Abolish IR35, abolish VAT its a admin pain and replace with nothing just cut spending by same amount, set corp tax at 5% and we would boom.

Abolish IR35. Just let people work how they want.