Freedom (of Speech).

Three cheers for Eric Pickles and Roger Bootle; at long last somebody has had the courage to speak out, against this nonsensical tax system, currently in operation (still as of 8th September 2011). The 50p tax rate is, we have been reliably informed, clearly "self defeating", and is "doing lasting damage to the economy". In short, the gist of what both are saying is that the 50p tax shows that "Britain is not interested in attracting all those hard-working people to the UK". Wise words indeed, from two impeccable characters who speak from the heart and obviously without hidden agendas. The message is now at least, thankfully, out there in the aether, free to roam and work its much esteemed and enlightened logic upon those few hard core remaining doubters.

Let us all just sit back and allow the statement (or its sentiments, at least) to wash over us, shall we, to seep into our pores, to work its magic upon our illogical reservations? Doesn't it feel so, so good? So refreshing?

Politically perfect from bigjom.

But, just hold your horses one darn cotton-picking moment, rewind... "Those hard-working people"? "Those"? What exactly does this say about 'these' hard-working people, the ones of us who are already here, and already 'working hard'? What about we few 99% of the population who are deemed not 'hard-working' enough to be paying 50p in the pound? How come we're not being mentioned in these embraced wisdoms, not also, perhaps, being described as "hard-working"? Where are we in this reckoning?



Special thanks to From one to another source.

In the absence of a mention from these great thinking gentlemen we are left merely to speculate, as I have been so doing. Where 'we' are, in this kind of statement, I would venture, is absent, and not just absent by omission. No, we are also absent from even the smallest, fleeting thoughts of these characters, these (shall we call them) Big Society thinkers? Absent in every sense, from almost every tiny aspect of their ideas of the real "Big Society".

Oh, that I were considered 'hard-working' enough to qualify for that higher rate of income tax. I like to think that, were such the case, I would at least be egalitarian enough not to bemoan the fact that I were deeming myself worthy of something in excess of £150,000 per annum. Remember, what these individuals seem happy not to point out is that the 1% who are currently wealthy enough to be paying the 50p rate are only doing so on the money they pay themselves, in excess of £150,000 per annum. In excess of £150,000!



The bigger picture by Reg Mckenna.

So apparently 99% of us are not pulling our weight, certainly not 'hard-working' enough, according to the enlightened definition of such, by the much esteemed Mr Pickles or Mr Bootle. Maybe it's just that I lack the sort of imagination required to envisage the sort of 'hard-working' society, the 'Big Society", to which these gentlemen refer.

Or maybe, just maybe, these soul-sucking dogmatists have become so, so, blindingly self-centred and downright greedy that they have completely failed to appreciate, or even notice, the crucial roles that bus drivers. road sweeps, nurses, multifarious office workers, shop keepers, teachers, ambulance drivers, paramedics, train drivers, social workers, the list really is immense, play in a properly functioning society.



Thanks to Walter Buller.

Either that or, alternatively, I, a non-50p-tax-payer, am just not qualified enough or intelligent enough to understand the bigger picture. Yes, that must be it! Roll on Big Society, the one where nurses, even most doctors, do not appear to exist- remember we only want the hard-working ones!

But, before you step into your personal utopia Mr Pickles, in particular, I think you might just consider that, no matter how poorly qualified to enter your utopia we might be we can all recognise a heart attack about to happen. And remember that, in your Big Society, there doesn't appear to be any room for most of those upon who you may yet come to rely.

"You think you're free, try going somewhere without money!" The words of the late, great Bill Hicks.