A Marr-ed interview with Darling A on 10p tax

It's not just the Labour Party that is missing opportunities to sharpen political debate. Andrew Marr in today's BBC 1 TV eponymous show failed to put British Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling on the spot over the 10p tax fiasco. Instead we have the BBC news headlining a promise to return to the issue of the 5.3 million losers in his next Budget. So that's sorted then, not.

Why didn't he take Darling to task about the new 10p tax rate for small savers! Why didn't he use the TUC estimates of what it would cost to fix this running sore, a mere £550 million compared to the billions being hurled at the banks, or lost through tax evasion avoidance? No, Andrew you and your researchers need to get out more. Or just read this blog for clues about how to put Labour's leading politicians on the spot.

Comments

[Dai Sgaffalde]

I hear Labour apologists saying that low earners should just access the working tax credits, oblivious to the fact that anyone who works less than 30 hours a week doesn't even qualify for this benefit.

I guess the MPs are all too busy filling in their expense claims to bother about the intricicies of the tax system.

So let me get this straight a BBC interviewer failed to put a Labour minister on the spot ... how surprising. Of course all these poor sods on £150 a week hit by an extra £5 a week tax bill also have to pay for a TV licence. I wonder how the fat cats on 100K would feel about paying a pro rata £1700 for a licence ... and Marr can't even do the poor the favour of asking a question on their behalf.

I'm sick of the lot of them.

[Robert]

Always knew the BBC works with which ever government is in power, always will always have.