Naggy state
IN its latest sneaky move, the Treasury is looking at a flat-rate tax of at least 21 per cent on any profits made by the bookies.
To Labour, cheered on by nanny state backbenchers, it doubtless looks like easy money.
1
But — as with the other tax rises ministers have imposed so far — it’s hard-working voters who will suffer.
First and foremost it’s a tax on jobs, since it will whack businesses who employ tens of thousands of people up and down the country.
And, second, it will clobber horse racing and other sports which rely on gambling revenue for sponsorship.
In racing’s case, it will mean less prize money, fewer good-quality races and a huge hit for a sport which — thanks to meddlesome affordability checks — is already in a fight for its life.
READ MORE FROM THE SUN SAYS
Pubs have been among the businesses worst hit by Rachel Reeves’ National Insurance raid, with many now threatened with closure.
Is Labour really now going to go after horse racing too?
Make this damaging idea a non-runner — or face the voters’ wrath.
Sweet FA
WHAT has the sugar tax actually done to curb Britain’s fat crisis?
When it was introduced in 2018, the child obesity rate was around 4.2 per cent.
Since then, it has nearly doubled to 9.2 per cent.
Every time a new product is targeted — milkshakes and yogurts are now being targeted — it is the less well-off who are unfairly hit.
Food manufacturers may have reduced the size and content of some sugary foods, but that has largely been to avoid heavier regulation — not to help consumers lose weight.
It is fantasy to expect big business to absorb every new tax.
Costs ALWAYS get passed on to the customer.
Since the sugar tax was imposed, large numbers of Brits are not just fatter.
They’re poorer, too.
Hot air to Blair
IF Sir Keir Starmer won’t listen to voters on the insanity of Net Zero, perhaps he will heed his mentor Tony Blair?
The former Prime Minister’s sensible dismantling of the 2050 lunacy should be a wake-up call to our current PM.
Sir Tony knows folk are fed up with paying sky-high electricity prices.
Unlike climate loon Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, he recognises the current policy of chucking billions at unreliable renewables isn’t working.
He gets that hitting the public with green taxes is a mistake — and that they could punish a Labour Government in return.
Sir Tony has always had a keen political ear.
We hope the PM is listening now.
