Tory and Shaun Bailey campaign leaflets hits new low

A new leaflet being sent out from the Conservatives has hit what could be a new low in a campaign on council tax. That’s saying much given a continual stream of lies from Shaun Bailey.

In a letter designed to scare and with a City Hall emblem it direct readers to a Shaun Bailey campaign website.

Firstly, let’s get one thing straight. The council tax precept in London for the Greater London Authority is going up by high amounts due to specific Conservative Government policy.

What government has done time and time again is cut funds then shifted funding for services away from general taxation – generally funded in a fairer way via corporation tax and income taxes to name just two – towards local council tax. If you want to hire more police, for example, you have to do it via council tax precepts.

In London police numbers hit new lows as funding from general taxation fell by £700 million from 2010 to 2018. The Met lost 2,932 officers. Government then said to London authorities you can have more police, but you have to raise the council tax precept to hire 600 more officers. Nationwide the Government announced £970 million in funding – but then said that council tax precept increases would be needed to fund £500 million of that.

There would be lower increases in council tax if central government funds were not cut. It’s as simple as that. The Tories rebuttal is always, well, cut waste. Even if you believe there is huge waste after a decade of cuts, the numbers resulting from ever more cuts come nowhere near what is required to fund services.

Transport

We saw this again with recent discussions on transport in London. The DfT and Grant Shapps were pushing for higher council tax precepts. This latest letter from Bailey and the Conservatives regurgitates drivel about “waste”.

Full of BS

The letter places the blame on Crossrail delays – a joint project overseen by the Tory controlled Department for Transport and Labour Mayor – solely in the hands of Khan. Funny that. Overlooking the DfT’s role, which is widely seen as one of the most dysfunctional and incompetent government departments, is typical of Bailey. The pension issue dates from Boris Johnson’s time as mayor. Travel passes for one allocated person per TfL staff member goes back decades under parties of all types. I’ve no idea where he gets his figure from. Funnily enough, rail staff often get this too under the control of the DfT.

Council tax is one of the most unfair forms of taxation out there with the wealthiest paying relatively little more than the poorest. Those in wealthy homes in London pay vastly less than those in many other world cities. I wrote about this recently.

In New York someone who buys a $200 million mansion in Manhattan the annual property tax bill comes to $280,000. In London, the council tax bill on a £100 million home in Hyde Park is £2,842. That’s an extreme example but the discrepancy remains at homes worth £10 million or £2 million – and many of the worlds wealthy are buying homes at that value. It’s barely penny change to the wealthiest.

This places ever more pressure on the lowest and middle earners who pay a far higher percentage of income on council tax. Then Government comes along, cuts and says the only way to retain is apply more funding via council tax.

Stamp duty is similar. In 2017 foreign buyers purchasing a £1m property in London paid £73,750 in stamp duty whereas in Sydney it’s £105,970,  Singapore £177,268 and in Hong Kong £300,000 on the same value property.

If Shaun Baily cared about Londoners he’d campaign for reform on council taxes and stamp duty towards international norms and ensure services were sufficiently funded. Instead he’s the biggest lackey I can recall seeing in a mayoral candidate. London has a proud history of local leaders dating back over a century battling their party colleagues in Westminster. Not now.

Don’t see this post as one in favour of Sadiq Khan. It’s a post against transparent bullshit from one of the worst political candidates ever to stand. Any Tory with credibility should be distancing themselves from this.

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J Smith

I've lived in south east London most of my life growing up in Greenwich borough and working in the area for many years. The site has contributors on occasion and we cover many different topics. Living and working in the area offers an insight into what is happening locally.

11 thoughts on “Tory and Shaun Bailey campaign leaflets hits new low

  • Council Tax …totally unfair

    But look at all those idiots who were totally against a Poll Tax….

    It wasn’t totally fair but at least the costs of Local Govt were on the shoulders of the ones who used those same Services….

    Houses are just bricks and mortar

    Reply
    • Taxes should be based on ability to pay, which is the Poll Tax failed

      Reply
    • That’s not City Hall paper. It’s a totally spurious coat of arms

      Reply
  • I received one of the Conservative Party leaflets re Shaun Bailey
    When we have the Conservative Party promoting such a nonentity…I am tempted to vote for Sadiq disfunctional though he is
    London is one of the main cities of the World…we need someone with weight not a pan of dishwater

    Reply
    • If you want someone with weight then Khan has proven that in the last four years he’s been nothing but dishwater, I have no clue who to vote for in the next mayor election but Khan will never get my vote and neither will Bailey

      Reply
      • Agreed N!
        Khan has been awful and Bailey doesn’t seem like he’ll be any better.
        My vote will be for David Kurten (Heritage Party) without any hesitation

        Reply
  • But income tax in Hong Kong is very low – like a max of 17%. I’d be happy to pay more council tax if my income tax was that low. I am guessing that property tax isn’t punitive for Non UK residents as they want to attract investment and keep homes being built – although I know a while ago new projects often were advertised abroad before locally.

    Many countries tax is aimed at encouraging people to be successful (financially) and be entrepreneurs. I have no envy for people who earn a lot, especially if they have worked hard to get what they have.
    I am not sure if Tfl is actually badly run, or £159 Million is being spent on free travel for friends of tfl (I hope not). But I would like to know how other candidates would make things better from where we are today.
    I do think its a shame that a mayor or a council affiliates with any of the main parties. They should be independent. And there should limits to terms of parties. Greenwich local elections – we could really do with a change.

    Reply
    • The fact many developments are only said to be viable if homes sold abroad shows how flawed the system now is. It wasn’t like this for much of the last century, and isn’t like that in many developed nations. The sheer cost this results in high prices, rents and consequent taxpayers costs is vast.

      Reply
    • I should perhaps also add Hong Kong wasn’t a great example as housing is a major source of ongoing civil unrest.

      Reply
  • I’m sitting on the fence on this, Perhaps the raving loony party will pop up soon? I just know that there is no-one worse than Khan,

    Reply

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