Author Archives: Julianne Marriott

The Independent View: In tough times, parents need the government to help them, not to judge them

fifties-familyBackbench Conservative MPs are causing trouble and the marriage tax allowance is rearing its ugly head again. First, the so-called Alternative Queen’s speech would introduce tax breaks for married couples, alongside other excruciatingly right wing measures such as a Margaret Thatcher Day and the reintroduction of the Death Penalty. Also this week Tim Loughton has tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill which would introduce a tax break for married couples with children under five, where one parent is a breadwinner and the other is a

Posted in The Independent View | Tagged and | 2 Comments

The Independent View: Don’t judge my family, David Cameron!

dont judge my familyThe Prime Minister has confirmed his intention to introduce a tax break for married couples before the end of this parliament. The tax break would be worth about £150 a year and would go to around a third of married couples: only those where one plays the role of breadwinner and the other is a homemaker.

Let’s be clear – this policy is not about supporting children: only 35% of the families who would gain from the policy have children, and only 17% have children under 5. …

Posted in Op-eds and The Independent View | 8 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Chloe
    "We did use RON in single-winner STV / AV elections at my Students Union. But I’m not sure I see it as constructive practical politics" That's where it sho...
  • Chloe
    Richard; Who picks up the tab for the net fiscal deficit of the Scottish & Welsh governments . Jana is correct - ultimate sovereignty is with Westminster. ...
  • George Thomas
    I think there are some issues which should unite Welsh politicians across the spectrum: - retrospective compensation for lack of devolution of HS2 funding; ...
  • Matt (Bristol)
    cim - I could see a situation where in a multi-winner STV election, if NOTA or RON (reopen nominations) would remain in contention but with a special threshold ...
  • David S
    The logical result of a NOTA vote would be the election of a place-holder candidate who fills the seat and prevents anyone else from getting in, but who also re...