Squeezed middle includes top-rate taxpayers
The Guardian this morning reports that “Labour says ‘squeezed middle’ earns up to £50,000”. The counter-intuitive result is based on analysis by the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Will Straw
Will Straw founded Left Foot Forward in 2009 and was its first Editor. Follow him on Twitter.
Building the UK’s Netroots
2011 is shaping up to be a promising year for online progressives in the UK. The first Netroots UK conference is in London on Saturday 8 January.
UK Statistics Authority: “Serious deficiencies” in DWP use of statistics
The Chair of the UK Statistics Authority has identified “serious deficiencies” in DWP’s use of statistics. It follows a series of corrections to the record yesterday by IDS.
Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won’t stop tuition fees rising
Nick Clegg and Vince Cable are considering abstaining in the crucial tuition fees vote before Christmas. But a Lib Dem abstention is equivalent to a vote for the reforms.
Bank’s Adam Posen: cuts will be “quite contractionary”
The Bank of England’s Adam Posen expects the impact of the Coalition’s cuts as “quite contractionary”. He also accused Mervyn King of being “excessively political”.
Real wages set to fall for three years
A new report shows that cuts, rising inflation and stagnating pay will make lower middle classes £720 a year worse off. It shows that wages will fall in real terms until 2013.
Changes at Left Foot Forward
After nearly two years setting up and editing Left Foot Forward, I have decided to pass on the leadership of the blog to what Ed Miliband might call a “new generation”. Shamik Das, our excellent assistant editor becomes Acting Editor,test
Ireland’s austerity: poor pay to keep corporation tax low
The Irish austerity package (confusingly dubbed a ‘recovery plan‘ by the BBC) can only be described as eye watering. But the focus on the poor while omitting any contribution from corporation tax indicates the ideological nature of this latest settest
Are Ed and AJ really split over 50p?
The red tops are overflowing with stories today of Labour’s split over the 50p rate. But is there really a cigarette paper between the Labour leader and his shadow chancellor?
IDS’ stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg
The Independent reports that Iain Duncan Smith “misled Parliament” on welfare. This is just the tip of the iceberg in relation to DWP’s misuse of statistics.