Are you a ‘working person'?
Westminster would be alive with speculation about what she might announce – initially, there was talk of reforms to cash ISAs; now, attention has turned to the prospect of Reeves promising a 'new Big Bang' by slashing regulation on financial services – however everyone is busy trying to work out who are the 'working people' the Labour government has pledged not to raise taxes for?
Are they – as Heida Alexander argued over the weekend – 'people on modest incomes'? Or, as Darren Jones suggested today, 'anyone that gets a payslip, basically'? That is quite a difference in definition – so who exactly is a 'working person'?
James Heale speaks to Tim Shipman and Michael Simmons.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
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The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
Chris Blackhurst answers your questions on wealth tax – from millionaire exodus to Labour's silence
Calls to tax the super-rich are no longer confined to fringe rallies or left-wing think tanks – they're now firmly in the political mainstream. According to YouGov, two-thirds of the British public, including a majority of Conservative voters, support a wealth tax on individuals with more than £10 million in assets. It's not hard to see why: the country faces a funding crisis, services are under strain, and the public is being asked to swallow yet more fiscal pain. The question many are asking is simple: why shouldn't the very wealthiest shoulder more of the burden? But as I explained in The Independent 's latest Ask Me Anything, this isn't a straightforward issue. There are real risks: capital flight, investor nerves, and a government already struggling to convince the world that Britain is open for business. There are also deep flaws in our existing tax system, and a shocking lack of data on who actually holds wealth in this country. During the Q&A, I answered your questions on everything from Labour's silence and HMRC's blind spots to non-doms, offshore trusts and the fear that we'll end up punishing wealth creators rather than closing genuine loopholes. The answers may not please everyone, but this is a debate we need to have. Q: Isn't socialism the problem here? Margaret Thatcher once said that the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money to spend. We are now well past that point. Since Blair was first elected, the political establishment has increased the overall tax burden to its highest ever level in history, and created an ever larger class of people living off welfare who do not want to do many of the jobs that need doing. The economy is now in chronic stagflation, the National Debt is escalating, and just like Stalin and the Kulaks, our political establishment is scapegoating the very people who are the wealth creators and major taxpayers. Mark A: It's hard not to agree with you. We built a welfare state and the NHS when our population was smaller. Now, they remain elephants in a crowded room that no politician dares touch. Their models are no longer suitable for their intended purpose. I'm not a fan of Thatcher, but she was right here, though I'd say Tory governments are also guilty of the same populism. Q: Wouldn't the wealthy just shield their money from a wealth tax? A wealth tax in the UK would likely trigger a wave of asset restructuring among the wealthy. Those who hadn't already done so would move quickly to shield their wealth. This could include shifting ownership of property, art, shares, and other taxable assets into foreign foundations, trusts, or offshore holding companies beyond HMRC's reach. EmiliaPortante A: I agree with your sentiment, but we should do far more to clamp down on tax avoidance and evasion. The UK turns a blind eye to offshore havens it's responsible for – the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Cayman Islands, etc. There's a whole industry dedicated to avoiding, and sometimes evading, taxes. It makes a mockery of the government's claims to be collecting fairly. Q: Why complain about a 1 per cent tax rise if you're worth £500m? What the super-wealthy are doing is essentially making sure they have enough money to guarantee their children's and grandchildren's aggressively campaign against a 1 per cent tax rise when you have £500m in wealth or even £100m? You will live comfortably forever - the reason is they want their children to do the same. ChrisMatthews A: It's true the rich sit atop a mountain of wealth, but they can't be forced to distribute it — if we try, they'll leave. If we make them believe in the UK, they'll choose to spend, donate, and invest here. That may sound naive, but the alternative is worse. Q: Would you personally pay a wealth tax or leave the UK? CharlesMartel A: It's unlikely I'd qualify, but if I did, I'd stay – I love this country. But the concern isn't people like me. It's the globally mobile few that nations compete for. Other countries are falling over themselves to attract them. So should we. Q: What about the millionaires who want to be taxed more? Illearthstoner A: I'm all for millionaires paying more tax – if they want to. The trouble is, far more don't. Some are already abroad, deciding where to go next. And Britain slips down the list when they do. Q: How do you ensure redistribution if you're against a wealth tax? Illearthstoner A: We should aim to turn the trickle into something stronger – not a flood, but a solid flow. A previous Labour government said: 'We love the filthy rich, provided they pay the taxes they owe.' They recognised their worth and wanted more of them. Q: Which European countries still have a wealth tax? Do they work? CharlesMartel A: We should examine why so few countries have wealth taxes when, on paper, they're an easy win. Most democracies are similarly strapped for cash, but don't go there. Some, like Italy, are even offering incentives to attract the rich. Why? Q: Why doesn't HMRC know how many billionaires are in the UK? forum A: Yes, it's shocking HMRC knows so little. How can they apply serious analysis with such gaps? In the US, the IRS studies the Forbes rich list and works with its compilers. We have the Sunday Times Rich List, but HMRC pays it scant regard. That's an obvious place to start. Q: Who's going to value all the houses, the repositories of most people's wealth? GrymSdijk A: Property experts are predicting a crash, certainly in London, should there be a wealth tax. Values at the top end will fall, and that will cascade downwards. As to who will assess the worth of a property, should there be a mansion tax, say, those estimates are already made by councils for council tax Q: Is Labour's silence on wealth tax a sign they are considering it? BBenB A: Almost certainly, yes. If they weren't, they'd say so and end the speculation, which is already sending the wealthy abroad and discouraging investment. Their silence suggests they're weighing it carefully. Q: Why no action, despite the public's support? Jimmy A: Because they know it would damage business and wealth creation. The richest tend to be those who own businesses and invest. A wealth tax sends a negative message to potential investors about how Britain views them. Jase A: They can justify it because, while popular, it comes at a cost. It's a case of the head ruling the heart. Yes, taxing the rich sounds better than cutting services, but it's not that simple – the tax system could be made more efficient, something successive governments have failed to do.
Glasgow Times
18 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
16 year olds to be able to vote in next general election
Labour's manifesto committed the party to lowering the voting age for parliamentary elections to 16, in line with Scottish and Welsh elections. Plans announced today, Thursday, July 17, are to increase participation in elections. Further plans proposed to introduce automated voter registration, which is already used in Australia and Canada, and to make UK-issued bank cards an accepted form of ID at polling stations. 'It's really important that 16 and 17 year olds have the vote'@Keir_Starmer tells ITV News Westminster Reporter @DennyTheJourno that he will lower the voting age to 16 by the next general election — ITV News (@itvnews) July 17, 2025 16 years to be able to vote as the voting age has been lowered The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said 'far too many people' had been put off voting by the voter ID rules introduced by the previous government, with the Electoral Commission finding around 750,000 people did not vote due to a lack of ID. The Government has already made the Veteran Card an accepted form of voter ID, and intends to allow digital forms of ID to be used when they become available. Recommended reading: Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: 'For too long public trust in our democracy has been damaged and faith in our institutions has been allowed to decline. 'We are taking action to break down barriers to participation that will ensure more people have the opportunity to engage in UK democracy, supporting our plan for change, and delivering on our manifesto commitment to give 16-year-olds the right to vote.' The change in the voting age will mark the biggest change to the electorate since it was reduced from 21 years old to 18 in 1969. When is the next general election? The last general election took place on July 4, 2024. At the time of writing, the exact date of the next general election has not yet been confirmed. Another general election could take place if the Prime Minister called a snap election. In the past, snap elections have been called by a PM following a vote of no confidence. But, it must take place no later than 15 August 2029.
BBC News
19 minutes ago
- BBC News
How will votes at 16 and changes to voter ID work?
The voting age will be lowered to 16 across the UK before the next general election, the government has move is part of wider changes to election rules, which also include expanding the range of voter ID and moving towards automatic voter registration. What is the plan to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote? The changes mean around 1.5 million 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in the next general election, which must be held by 2029 but could be government says the change will give young people a chance to have a say in how the UK is run."At 16, a young person can work, they pay taxes, they can join the Army. So there's no reason why from that age, they shouldn't have a say in who governs our country," said Democracy Minister Rushanara commitment to lower the voting age was in Labour's 2024 election represents the biggest change to the make-up of the electorate since voter age was reduced from 21 to 18 in means 16-year-olds will be able to vote in all elections across the UK. As is the case in Scotland, young people will also be able to register to vote from age 14. The minimum voting age is already 16 for local council elections in Scotland and Wales, as well as for elections to the Welsh Parliament and Scottish you currently need to be 18 to vote in UK parliamentary elections, local elections in England and all elections in Northern will still need to be 18 to stand as a candidate. LIVE: Follow reaction to the voting rules changes What ID will voters be able to use? In future, voters will be able to prove their ID with a UK-issued bank card showing their name, the govenment May 2023, voters in England, Scotland and Wales have to show valid photo ID to vote in person in all general, local and national are currently more than 20 acceptable forms of ID, including passports, driving licences, bus passes and Armed Forces Veteran Cards. Anyone without valid ID can apply for a free document called a voter authority certificate. However, some 4% of people who did not vote in the 2024 general election said it was because of voter ID rules, according to the Electoral Commission, which monitors UK elections. The rules are different in Northern Ireland where voters have had to show photo ID since 2003. How could voters be automatically registered? At the moment eligible adults in the UK need to register in order to vote, which can be done online or using a paper Electoral Commission estimates that around seven million people are incorrectly registered or missing from the electoral register entirely, which means they cannot vote. It says this disproportionately affects private renters and young government says it will work towards creating an automated voter registration scheme over the coming years. It says there will be safeguards so that people are aware of their registration status and can opt-out if they will have to opt-in to be included in the open electoral register, which is made publicly-available. Nobody under 16 will appear on the open register.A 2023 Electoral Commision report suggested automated registration could involve organisations like the Passport Office providing Electoral Registration Officers with the names and addresses of people eligible to government says it will look closely at a number of automatic registration systems being piloted by the Welsh government for local council elections and elections to Senedd Cymru. When is the next general election? The latest a Parliament can be dissolved for a general election is on the fifth anniversary of the day it first 25 working days are then allowed to prepare for the current Parliament began on 9 July, which means the next general election must be held by August 2029. However, the prime minister can call an election at a time of their choosing, within the five-year period. How do general elections work? The UK is divided into 650 areas, called a general election, voters in each constituency choose a Member of Parliament - or MP - to represent them in the House of candidates belong to a particular political party, but some are person has one vote. Under a system called "first past the post", the candidate with the most votes becomes the MP for that party with the most MPs typically forms the next government, and its leader usually becomes the prime 2024 general election used new constituency boundaries, redrawn to reflect population changes and to even out voter numbers.
