Comments on: Brown responsible for economic turmoil http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/2007/10/09/brown-responsible-for-economic-turmoil/ Sir Menzies Campbell MP, Member of Parliament for North East Fife Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:28:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Silver Voter http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/2007/10/09/brown-responsible-for-economic-turmoil/comment-page-1/#comment-15307 Silver Voter Wed, 10 Oct 2007 08:08:46 +0000 http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/2007/10/09/brown-responsible-for-economic-turmoil/#comment-15307 It is reprehensible that Gordon Brown is not taking responsibility for the financial chaos which the UK is in. I agree with everything Ming Campbell has put forward but would, in fact, go further. It is going to take a very brave and resolute Liberal Democrat Chancellor to unravel this economic fiasco and restore the voters' confidence in a strong UK economy and it is the rich who will complain the loudest. One idea which was put forward by me several years ago was to lower the threshold at which poorer people start to pay the full rate of Income Tax (at whatever level that is set) and restore a 10% Tax level for those on low incomes. The richer folk of the UK forget that there are millions of people barely existing on very low incomes (many of whom are Pensioners, but not all) - as a 'ball park figure' £10k is not worth as much as it was 20 years ago and does not go very far – anyone can see that. It is not that folk do not want to pay any Tax but it should be set at a fair level for low income earners. It is no good saying, 'There is Income Support and other Benefits' – that is exactly the problem – Pensioners should not be forced into a position in which they have to apply for income Support or other State Benefit. As for the guaranteed Pensioner's Credit – that is a joke! A few pence over the limit of income allowed and it is not given – whatever people say, it is means-tested. Another issue which needs to be resolved is the restoration of the Occupational Pension link to surrent Salaries instead of the rate of inflation – another mismanagement of a previous government! No Pensioner should be put in the position of having to be declared insolvent – it is degrading and embarrassing – I know because it has happened to me. We want to come out of the 'Benefit culture' – please give us a fighting chance of doing that! It is reprehensible that Gordon Brown is not taking responsibility for the financial chaos which the UK is in. I agree with everything Ming Campbell has put forward but would, in fact, go further. It is going to take a very brave and resolute Liberal Democrat Chancellor to unravel this economic fiasco and restore the voters’ confidence in a strong UK economy and it is the rich who will complain the loudest.

One idea which was put forward by me several years ago was to lower the threshold at which poorer people start to pay the full rate of Income Tax (at whatever level that is set) and restore a 10% Tax level for those on low incomes. The richer folk of the UK forget that there are millions of people barely existing on very low incomes (many of whom are Pensioners, but not all) - as a ‘ball park figure’ £10k is not worth as much as it was 20 years ago and does not go very far – anyone can see that. It is not that folk do not want to pay any Tax but it should be set at a fair level for low income earners. It is no good saying, ‘There is Income Support and other Benefits’ – that is exactly the problem – Pensioners should not be forced into a position in which they have to apply for income Support or other State Benefit. As for the guaranteed Pensioner’s Credit – that is a joke! A few pence over the limit of income allowed and it is not given – whatever people say, it is means-tested.

Another issue which needs to be resolved is the restoration of the Occupational Pension link to surrent Salaries instead of the rate of inflation – another mismanagement of a previous government!

No Pensioner should be put in the position of having to be declared insolvent – it is degrading and embarrassing – I know because it has happened to me. We want to come out of the ‘Benefit culture’ – please give us a fighting chance of doing that!

]]> By: Not a good week to be Gordon Brown | Liberal Democrat Voice http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/2007/10/09/brown-responsible-for-economic-turmoil/comment-page-1/#comment-15279 Not a good week to be Gordon Brown | Liberal Democrat Voice Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:51:04 +0000 http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/2007/10/09/brown-responsible-for-economic-turmoil/#comment-15279 [...] Ming Campbell has laid into the Prime Minister today, holding him personally to account for the problems now facing the economy: “As Chancellor, Gordon Brown happily lauded his own economic wizardry, but failed even to recognise the growing problems of personal debt. Personal debt now stands at £1.3 trillion and households now have to set aside about a fifth of their income to service existing debt, two fifths for first time buyers. [...] [...] Ming Campbell has laid into the Prime Minister today, holding him personally to account for the problems now facing the economy: “As Chancellor, Gordon Brown happily lauded his own economic wizardry, but failed even to recognise the growing problems of personal debt. Personal debt now stands at £1.3 trillion and households now have to set aside about a fifth of their income to service existing debt, two fifths for first time buyers. [...]

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