So, yesterday we had the report, this morning the comments. If you've been living in a cupboard, you will not be aware that David Cameron's Conservative party yesterday published a wide ranging report resulting from an 18 month review carried out by Iain Duncan Smith into social problems in Britain.
Amongst some 190 different recommendations to tackle the five key 'paths to poverty' the report identified, were plans to provide tax breaks equivalent to around £20 a week in the pockets of married couples.
Now, I'm sorry, but I think they've missed a trick here. On the Today programme this morning, the comment was made that a couple bringing up 4 children were worse off, so deserved Government help in meeting their financial commitments. I don't have any children. I don't particularly want any, either, but I can't help noticing I'd be in line for a load of Government money coming my way if I had one or two. Tax credits, child benefits, nursery vouchers to name a few.
So what about those of us who form part of a stable couple (who will be married in March 2008), who don't burden the health service or education system?
We both work and pay tax and National Insurance, neither of us are entitled to or claim any benefits, neither of us are entitled to free prescriptions (my partner requires regular asthma medicines - and these for no good reason whatsoever are excluded from free provision, whilst at the same time the government is positively encouraging 13 year olds to take advantage of free contraceptives!), neither of us receive free dentistry... need I continue?
I pump a lot of money into the British economy through taxes and personal spending, yet I receive nothing in return. The health service is a shambles, the cost of living rising year on year at an alarming pace, and hard work seems to now be an exception rather than the norm.
Where's the tax breaks for those of us who don't use any of the funds the government takes from us? Why don't I get a rebate from my NI when I don't use the NHS?
Could it be because I'm an easy target?
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