[Politics] No Budget thread?

[Neville's Breakfast]

What is the serious economic debate regarding why we didn't address corporation tax post 2008 financial crash to the Covid deficit? Would be good to know why corporation tax is a good vehicle this time but not last time?

I think I'm right in saying it was 28% ahead of 2008, then cut to 26% 2010, and pretty much a cut each year until we reached 19% in 2017 - an unprecedented set of cuts in such a small period of time, all the while austerity austerity austerity was the mantra. I don't know, I'm not an expert but I remember thinking the cuts to corporation tax were wrong when they were happening given that economic situation. Now it seems a good idea to not just raise them, but almost a complete reversal back to 2010 level.

Perhaps it’s the £100 billion in emergency support given by the taxpayer to businesses in the past year. That didn’t happen at any point in the post 2008 period because there was no pandemic. Again, different circumstances, different policy responses.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Thanks. I thought one or two Tories might have secretly enjoyed the idea of rummaging round Diane Abbott's back garden.........

Especially after gaining access through her back doors.