The i asked for ideas on the NHS funding problem, so I wrote this, which they printed but edited out details!
The answer to the NHS`s funding problems, with a
"£30bn black hole in the health service`s finances", must be clear to all of our
politicians.( Medical professionals warn health service is at breaking
point,06/10/14) The trouble is that it involves the well-off paying more taxes
and none of our political parties and their leaders have the bottle to say so.
Bearing in mind the fact that average earnings are
around £26,000 and that the less fortunate have borne the brunt of the austerity
measures, those earning above £80,000 have practically totally escaped the
effects of the cuts, designed apparently to reduce the deficit. So an increase
in income tax rates is an obvious starter, with a new 45% rate on incomes
£80-150K, 50% on those between £150 and 200K, 55% on £200-250K and so on, with
a financial transaction tax for good measure. Even in Thatcher`s time a top rate
tax of 60% existed, and recent evidence has suggested that the Laffer curve
argument is nonsense. The 7th richest country in the world can afford wars at
the drop of a hat, and tax reductions for the rich, so the blame for the NHS`s
underfunding has to be politicians` fear of upsetting potential voters and "big
business"!
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