Partly because it’s by this woman:
Miatta Fahnbulleh, the energy consumer minister,
Someone who came up through NEF – Not Economics Frankly – is not going to have sensible ideas.
But this:
Wealthier households face paying more to subsidise the heating and power bills of the poorest homes this winter under plans presented to ministers.
Energy industry representatives presented a plan to Miatta Fahnbulleh, the energy consumer minister, on Wednesday to help support the country’s poorest by increasing the Warm Home Discount.
The scheme allows millions of low income households to claim £150 off their electricity and heating bills over winter.
Under the proposals the payment could be more than doubled, funded either by raising the existing £20 levy added to all power bills or through taxation – or a mixture of the two.
Subsidies and taxes – that levy is a tax, whatever anyone says – in dribs and drabs aren’t the way to do it. Always, but always, take the cash off the roicher and give cash to the poorer. We do not want to subsidise specific things, that’s a loss maker. We might – might – want to subsidise the poor. But the poor will know best what maximises their own utility. Which might be a cardigan and a quartet of Stella. Well, if that’s what they think makes them richer then so be it.
There is also the less obvious point that if it’s all done through cash taxation then none of it is hidden. We all get to see the whole bill for the subsidising we’re doing. At which point we might well say you know, that’s enough? Which is, of course, why the subsidisers always prefer the clever and cunning – if hidden – plans.
Which is, of course, why the subsidisers always prefer the clever and cunning – if hidden – plans.
The problem with this sort of ‘cunning’ tinkering is that it’s never enough. Especially when you have 5 million public sector workers to pay off. That’s why 2TK is so desperate to spread the gloom, he knows manifesto-busting tax rises are incoming.
Marius, shes’s a cunning stunter?
Two Tier electricity bills.
They’re trying to kill your gran because she’s white.
Miatta Fahnbulleh, the energy consumer minister,
Good grief!
No white people left in the UK? Or just Quality Street assorted?
Oh do keep up with modern practical politics, Tim! The more you hide your redistribution in thousands of obscure schemes the more of it you can get away with. Socialism by a thousand cuts is much easier to implement than “everyone is now ‘equal'”.
It also creates thousands of unproductive jobs for middle class types, administering each new small redistribution. Two wins!
Remember, these people thought we had a good deal in the days when we would give £1 to the EU and get 38p back.
Levelling down – the strategy recommended to Tarquinius Superbus which was intended to prevent, but merely delayed, the overthrow of his autocratic regime.
john77: Overthrown by Populus Megabus.