Sunday papers
Aside from the polls, which are showing ever more variety, two things caught my eye in the Sunday Telegraph's books sectionFirst a Churchill anecdote. When asked for a birthday tribute to Stanley Baldwin on his 80th, Churchill offered, "It would have been better for our country if he had never lived".
Second, a claim from the Telegraph's Public Policy Editor, Alisdair Palmer. He says, "Despite 50 years of effort to eliminate it, there is no more [income, presumably] inequality in Britain than there was in 1955". If it is true inequality is higher now than in 1955, surely it is not true despite 55 years of effort to eliminate it? I can't find a series but I recall it fell to the late 1970s then rose again. Some of the latter rise was deliberate government policy, or if not at least benign neglect not an 'effort to eliminate it'.
Elsewhere the Tories have surprised (me at least) with their sensible plans to offer basic-rate taxpayers a pension credit of 10% (ie for every £1000 they invest they will get £100). The aim is to encourage pensions. Will it work? I thought basic-rate payers already got a 22% bonus and that doesn't seem to have helped, but I could be wrong.
This made me laugh though.
Howard said: "When I meet people they often say to me "too many politicians are interested in the short term - tomorrow and next week, rather than ten years time..."
This from the opportunist?
posted by Matthew @ 4/17/2005 04:50:00 PM
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