PaulRogan

Still referred to by many as the ‘Rates', more properly called the ‘Community Charge'; was despised by many as the ‘Poll Tax' when introduced some years ago.

It has been accepted for many years that the present system of local taxation is both unfair and inappropriate. Mrs. Thatcher tried to reform the ‘rates' system which many believe was the first nail in her leadership coffin. A quick fix backtrack was put into place when the Poll Tax failed. The principle of the Poll Tax was clear, each adult consumed local services therefore each should shoulder the burden of cost. The failure was that ‘ability to pay' was not taken into account. Since the Poll Tax failure, the Tories have skirted around the issue leaving the Lib-Dems to call for a fairer system based on income. In the meantime Labour have been planning to re-value homes in England, in what I see as an attempt to squeeze more tax out of those they consider to be ‘well off' living in ‘big' homes.

This idea is as massively flawed as was the Poll Tax. What about the elderly, living in their life-long homes? No longer with an income other than a meager pension, not wishing to move and the home bought years ago for a few thousand (in those days still a lifetimes worth of work) now re-valued and to cost more in Local Tax than they get income from their savings?

The SNP's idea of a local income tax is not new.... it is the system used in many States in the USA to collect local tax. The other system is a purchase tax. The latter would be difficult here as we would have to first calculate 17.5% Euro Tax (sorry, mean VAT), then add Local Sales Tax... a tax on tax... Hardly surprising the SNP have opted for a supplementary income tax.

On the face of GOOD.... The English Democrats view is that we are happy for the Scots to be able to do it and would like to do likewise.

BUT there is a sting.... There always is.... Any new tax system introduced will raise more tax than the old one, so the average person is bound to be worse off.

The Regional Government, in this case Scotland, by becoming a direct tax levying body is yet a further nail in the Union's coffin. It enhances the power base of the Scottish Assembly, further distancing it from Westminster and further separating Scotland from the UK.

All well and good for Scotland but we in England are lagging miles behind! No English voice or Parliament, no English identity, no England; just a plan to divide up the world's oldest Nation State into European Sized Regions.

More details on the SNP taxation ideas at BBC NEWS | Scotland | Scots legislation plans unveiled