The Tory marriage tax plans are in further confusion this morning as it emerged that just 1 in 20 couples would benefit. The policy would cost £800 million.
The Tory marriage tax plans were in further confusion last night as it emerged that just 1 in 20 couples would benefit.
The Mirror reports this morning that:
“David Cameron’s marriage tax-break bribe would help only one in 20 couples who tie the knot, Labour has found.
“And he is again in retreat over the plan after a spending black hole was uncovered. Only marrieds with children under the age of three are now expected to benefit.
“But Treasury figures – showing only 6% of those who get wed would be better off – found that would [sic] still cost other taxpayers [£600 million] to be raised through “green” taxes.
New costings released last night and seen by Left Foot Forward outlined:
“Treasury analysis of this proposal shows it would benefit 6 per cent of married couples, 2 per cent of all family units (single people or couples and their dependents) and 3 per cent of adults.
“Treasury costing of this proposal shows it costs £800m (not the £600m Iain Duncan Smith claims).”
In yesterday’s Observer, former shadow Home Secretary David Davis mounted a defence of the policy but conceded that:
“Take the category of single mothers alone. The common assumption is that they are mostly young teenagers who are careless or who even deliberately get pregnant as a step to a council flat and a benefit cheque …
“But that is not the typical single mother by a long chalk. Single mothers come in a wide variety of categories. There are married mothers who are separated or divorced from their husbands. There are single mothers who decide to have a baby, but who are capable of providing for that child, both financially and emotionally. Then there are widows.”
Sky News quotes Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liam Byrne:
“Marriage plays a vital role in our society.
“But David Cameron’s latest marriage tax plan does nothing for 19 out of 20 married couples – except put a tax rise on their cars and holidays.
“David Cameron broke his promise to help all married couples when he was forced to admit his plans didn’t add up.
“Now, he’s got himself into the absurd position of having a married couples policy that leaves the majority of married couples worse off.”
23 Responses to “Cameron’s marriage tax on the ropes”
Mike McTait
Cameron's marriage tax on the ropes | Left Foot Forward: And Rob, I agree that welfare dependency can be a .. http://bit.ly/8sOnFV
Mr. Sensible
Joe, I completely agree with you.
I believe the IMF, who Cameron frequently likes to quote, warned against endangering a recovery by cutting too soon.
And Rob, the problem with breaking the banks up is that I don’t think that would solve the problem; I believe Leyman Brothers was a retail bank, and we know what happened to it.
And in response to Rob’s comment:
“Re Tories cutting programs. Times are tough the Tories aint looking to cut these programs because they are cruel people they are looking to cut because we are running out of money.”
Well Rob, here in Nottinghamshire the Conservative administration is cutting for the sake of cutting; Labour, the Lib Dems and Unison have identified several alternative ideas for cutting budget deficits without cutting services.
And as Joe says, so far they’ve just outlined spending commitments, such as this shambles.
And, Osborne’s approach seems to be to throw the baby out with the bathwater by punishing the frontline bank staff as well; the ones who serve you and I, who cannot be blamed for this recession, whilst giving their friends in the City who can be blamed for it a tax cut by aiming to scrap the top rate of income tax!
Anyway, back to the subject…
This idea seems to have been on the ropes ever since early January when Cameron was forced to rush out 2 contradictory statements within 2 hours.
The idea’s just wrong; surely it’s not the type of family you live in, but that that family is happy that matters?
And, I fear that one unintended consequence is that a couple could try and stay together when it’s not working, with negative consequences for family members involved, such as domestic violence; I am not sure the last Tory government took that problem seriously.
I think the report in the Daily Mirror is the icing on the cake.
Mr Nasty: The regressive, judgemental horror of IDS’ marriage tax plans | Left Foot Forward
[…] few as one in 20 couples may benefit; as Left Foot Forward reported last January: “Treasury analysis of this proposal shows it would benefit 6 per cent of married […]