Oh dear it seems that Nanny' sin taxes (taxes on booze and fags), instead of raising revenue, have cost the Treasury £32billion.
How?
Excess taxes create illicit markets.
The Taxpayers' Alliance are quoted by the Telegraph:
The “tax gap” would be enough to fund a 1.5p cut in the basic rate of Income Tax, according to the TA report.
“HMRC has clearly been unsuccessful at claiming these duties for some time and therefore it needs to take decisive action, not introduce policies that make it worse. It is unfair that higher taxes for ordinary families are often used to make up the shortfall.
The loss of £31.8 billion in revenue over a five year period could have funded a 1.5p cut in the basic rate of Income Tax. Not only would this have helped millions of ordinary families, but it would also have had a big impact on the jobs market, which is particularly important at this time.”
John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:
"Our ludicrously complicated, punitive tax system not only hits hard-pressed families with crippling bills but also affects frontline services by depriving Treasury of revenue lost to the black market, all the while lining the pockets of those peddling dodgy tobacco, alcohol and diesel.Well said sir!
The revenue lost to the illicit trade could fund a modest but much needed tax cut for millions of families while preventing smugglers from profiting because of deeply regressive 'sin taxes' which hit the poorest hardest.
It is high time the Government offered struggling taxpayers a better deal instead of kowtowing to the self-appointed lifestyle police who remain oblivious to the cost of ever-rising duties on ordinary taxpayers."
Visit The Joy of Lard and indulge your lard fantasies.
Show your contempt for Nanny by buying a T shirt or thong from Nanny's Store.
www.nannyknowsbest.com is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Visit Oh So Swedish Swedish arts and handicrafts
Why not really indulge yourself, by doing all the things that Nanny really hates? Click on the relevant link to indulge yourselves; Food, Bonking, Gifts and Flowers, Groceries
The loss of £31.8 billion is pure speculation. If the trade is illicit then nobody has any idea how much money is lost.
ReplyDeleteAnd why do they refer to that amount as lost?
To lose something one would have to acquire it in the first place.
If a demand exists for anything, there will always be a black market to supply it, and with the ludicrous amount of tax levied on tobacco, alcohol and fuel, I wish them the very best of luck.
Dear Mr Frost
ReplyDelete" ...could have funded a 1.5p cut in the basic rate of Income Tax."
But wouldn't have, would it?
If our beloved government gained another £32,000 million of taxpayers' money, they'd just squander it all on pet projects, less their 'commission' of course.
DP