Marcus Chown (who I have never met, but who I follow on Twitter) has written a review of The Joy of Tax in the Times Higher Education. In it he says:
I have never met Murphy, but I've become aware of him through Twitter, not only because I often agree with his thought-provoking tweets but also because they have helped open my eyes to the economic reality behind the fantasy. And here he has done the impossible: writing a book on tax that is not the literary equivalent of a handful of sleeping pills.
High praise indeed. I am grateful to Marcus. It's worth a read in its own right.
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Chown was rejected for Labour membership this summer for being too left wing. Probably explains his favourable review.
Not true
He was rejected for suggested links to the NHA Party
Please get facts right
I also know the NHA Party and have lent it policy – as I have Labour
Thought I should say that in the interests of full disclosure
Marcus said the links were not as Labour claimed
But why let facts get in the way of prejudice?
heaven know why it’s an issue for people who SHOULD be natural allies! The reason there is an NHA is precisely because Labour hasn’t been Labour but rather LINO.
This sort of thing needs to be sorted out by the Labour Party so that useful people can be members.
There is an old quote attributed, I recollect, to the late Dr Johnson?, concerning the refuge offered by patriotism. The ad. hom. “left wing” and it’s related offshoots resides in the same refuge. It’s a simplistic dog whistle term used deliberately to close down debate by those who do not want to discuss facts and realities which, for a number of easily deduced reasons, they do not feel comfortable with and do not wish to be out in the open.
As such it’s use in a discussion in this way represents lazy self interested thinking which is the antithesis of our Enlightenment heritage.
Yes, it is a very complimentary review. Congratulations.
But where does he get the idea that “a dizzying array of “stealth taxes” such as VAT … account for three-quarters of all tax”? Yes, VAT is one of the biggest three in terms of revenues raised in the UK, but income tax, NICs and corporation tax raise over 60% of HMRC receipts.
The final point – education – must be right. Apparently a fifth of the young “digital natives” believe what they read from Google searches without question (perhaps I should be happy that 80% don’t), and less than a third can identify sponsored links as advertising. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bb57b50a-8ed0-11e5-8be4-3506bf20cc2b.html
Income tax is thought to be tax by most
It is about one third of total taxes
His logic is sound
Sorry, did someone say that income tax is not a tax?
He said “low income tax an illusion — invariably compensated for by a dizzying array of “stealth taxes” such as VAT, which account for three-quarters of all tax”.
Income tax is not a stealth tax, nor is NICs, nor is corporation tax. So, “stealth taxes” can’t account for more than 40%.
Is he suggesting that any tax *other* than income tax is a stealth tax?
I think you are extrapolating a small comment way beyond any bounds of possibility
Sorry Andrew but the second and third paragraphs of your 08:59 post, as written/ constructed, make no logical sense.
If, as argued, the rate level of income tax is COMPENSATED FOR by a series of identified taxes which are labelled and classified as “stealth taxes”, how does that represent in any way a statement or argument that income tax is also a stealth tax?
Marcus Chown is a true champion of the NHS. He has tried along with the NHAP to inform us of the deeply undemoctratic 2012. Act. He has explained along with the NHAP how we have been robbed of our health service by this party. Remember Michael Portillo saying the Tories would not have been elected if the truth about their radical changes to the NHS were known. He cares about others and future generations being denied a first class system of care. Never mind that the internal market and bureaucratic costs will be far higher as every finger in the pie takes its cut. pAtients before profits please.
A strong review indeed. However, might it not hold more weight to get a strong review from a middle of the road tax expert as opposed to a left wing scientist? It’s not productive to seek reaffirmation from those who hold the same views as you.
What is the relevance of a tax expert?
This is a political discussion on social change
Tx expertise per se is not needed to engage in that
Gosh, it only took 34 minutes for the predictable dog whistle I spoke about at 12:09 to appear once again.
Can you leave it a bit longer next time Jim. I did not get down to Ladbrookes in time to put my bet n.
Marcus Chown got one thing wrong about George Osborne in his “Joy of Tax” review when he said:-
“Money is government debt in circulation. Remove all government debt — as advocated by George Osborne, the Mad Hatter of economics — and we have no money.”
He should have used the term “Lunny Luddite” for a man who’s attempting to apply the very first thing that came into his head in regard to government and money when appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer it should budget like a household.