Perhaps unsurprisingly, people think the wealthy should pay more in tax

Posted on

As The Mirror has reported this morning:

Two thirds of Tory voters say the richest should pay more tax, a poll reveals.

Some 64% backed rises for wealthy individuals and firms, according to the Tax Justice Network survey.

Overall, 74% of the 3,010 people quizzed said the well-off should pay more.

And 66% said those who profit from wealth should face the same tax rates as workers — indicating backing for a shake-up of capital gains tax rules.

Just 24% did not want to pay more tax personally.

The poll also revealed support for a crackdown on tax dodgers, with 87% saying the Government should close loopholes.

Three comments.

First, that was a Tax Justice UK poll, and not a Tax Justice Network one. As an adviser to both I can tell you there is a difference: they are associated but by no means the same organisations.

Second, what is surprising is how many think the well off should not pay more. It would be fascinating to know why when simple economics suggests that this must be appropriate, since the wealthy have lower marginal value from each additional pound they earn or have as wealth than do those on lower incomes and as such can in economic terms pay more without suffering the same appreciation of loss from doing so.

Third, wealth taxes are on my agenda, as they are for Tax Justice UK. I hope to do much more on this very soon because now is the time for action on this issue.


Thanks for reading this post.
You can share this post on social media of your choice by clicking these icons:

You can subscribe to this blog's daily email here.

And if you would like to support this blog you can, here: