Well, that was a terrifying glimpse into Sunak's "Patriotic Future" - a dystopian and authoritarian nightmare for everyone who isn't absolutely loyal to the regime.
Very telling that the "threats" to the UK according to Sunak are leftists, environmentalists, pacifists, migrants, peaceful protesters, democrats, those who human rights and (specifically) Scottish nationalists.
Not the far right, climate change deniers, polluters, pro-genocide militarists, racists and xenophobes, authoritarians and anyone in favour of stripping you of human rights.
Excellent and hard hitting Episode of the Common Weal Policy Podcast on profit extraction from Scotland. Yet another example of the fact that globalised #Capitalism benefits no one but the ultra rich.
The Common Weal Policy Podcast: Episode #209 - Profit and Politics
@simon_brooke One of our very first papers (before I joined the org) asked that very question. Aye. I'm very much up for more forms of worker ownership like Mondragon.
It works by taking our 2021 proposal to reform Council Tax into a tax on the market value of homes and extending it to the market value of land as well.
(Right now, Council Tax is charged on a manor house, but not the larger estate)
For rural councils especially, a land tax could become a significant part of their budget. At the rate we suggest here, five councils would raise revenue equivalent to more than 50% of their current Council Tax revenue.
The Scottish Government response to my paper mentions a joint working group with Cosla on local government finance but does not mention the Citizens Assembly they promised would be held during this Parliament. Has that promise been formally dropped?
@SteveJonesnono1 I interviewed Richard on the Common Weal Policy Podcast about his report this week.
The critical difference is that his report looks UK-wide at reserved taxes, whereas mine is a devolved Scottish local affair. We're actually in agreement with both of our plans.
@simonvarwell This is one of the reasons I see an advantage for our land tax (based on market rate) compared to a land value tax (based on notional economic value). If a landowner tries to dodge the tax by undervaluing their estate, that would just make it easier for locals to enact a compulsory purchase.
My friend Rob made up a jig to try to get the screws out of the field coils on the starter motor. We succeeded on three of the screws, but the second we mangled. We got the remains of it out with a screw extractor, but it means I'll have to source a replacement screw.
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Just had one of those AHA! moments: we should build houses for the homeless, of course we should, that's obvious. But we build them at FIVE HUNDRED YEAR QUALITY. That is to say, designed so that, with minimal maintenance, they will be good homes for 500 years. Yes, obviously that makes them a bit more expensive in the short term. But it means we develop a building industry with the skills to build 500 year homes. But more...
@simon_brooke "Housing First" - that is, giving someone who is homeless a free house for as long as they need it - is a great example of political barriers because it's one of those policies that from an objective policy POV is blatantly obvious because EVERY other possible option is more expensive and leads to poorer outcomes for everyone (including those who aren't homeless) but has little chance of happening due to excuses that are objectively irrational and run DESPITE the evidence.
OK, suppose we reformed the relationship between central and local government in the UK by switching the proceeds of one major tax from central government to local government, which should it be? Switching income tax (£250bn) would obviously benefit richer areas at the expense of poorer. My hunch is that switching VAT (£162bn) would be a better idea.
@simon_brooke@RichardJMurphy (Sure, Scotland is no longer currently bound by EU rules, but I don't think it'd be politically possible for pro-EU, pro-Indy parties to support a tax they know they'd have to drop upon independence and EU re-entry.)