Musings of an aging fan

[Poll #1837792]

The UK has 650 MPs - that's abut one for every 97,000 people.

[Poll #1779303]

Tax
From 4 Jan 2011, the main rate of VAT will rise from 17.5% to 20%. Current zero-rated items like children's clothes and magazines will remain exempt.

Corporation Tax will be cut next year to 27%, and by 1% annually for the next three years, until it reaches 24%. The small companies' tax rate will be cut to 20%.

The government will help low-spending councils in England to freeze council tax for one year from April 2011.

CGT remains at 18% for low and middle-income savers but from midnight, higher rate taxpayers will pay 28%.

( Read more... )

"Number 10 recognises that talks with the Lib Dems have not and will reach not any positive conclusion, and they are now discussing the method of declaring that their side of the negotiation is over, BBC Radio 5 Live's political correspondent Jon Pienaar says."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/liveevent/

ETA: "The BBC's Jon Pienaar says talks between the Lib Dems and the Tories are now at the final 'dotting the Is and crossing the Ts' stage. To use the metaphor of poker, Labour have folded and thrown in their cards."

I am determined not to mention the election.

How many comments can I get which will observe the same condition?

I have voted. I took adaese to the station this morning, then drove back to the polling station, then onto work.

This is by no means my earliest vote. One year - it was probably 1992 - I was queueing outside the polling station when it opened at 7am. We were shown that the ballot boxes were empty before they were sealed.

There were eight candidates in our constituency, which is a new one, and which is thought to be a three-way marginal. The last candidate on the list was "Vote zero none of the above".

I refer you to today's Matt cartoon:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/matt/

And, for that matter, to today's Alex cartoon:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/alex/

Please vote!

I can recommend today's Matt cartoon.

The Retail Prices Index has not fallen to its lowest level on record. The rate of increase in the RPI has, but the Index itself hasn't! Grrr!

[Poll #1401674]
And while we're at it, I'll point you towards today's Matt:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/matt/