Abolishing IHT would look extraordinarily out of touch to those struggling to pay their bills or worried about the state of the public services – and would undermine any claim to fiscal responsibility.
Such as: reductions for business, such capital allowances to promote investment. And reductions on earnings, such as cuts to National Insurance.
As Bright Blue’s new report outlines, we can use tax as a tool to help reach a wide set of economic, social, and environmental goals.
In addition to the broad question about the Chancellor’s political judgement, I think he faces three specific problems.
Ministers will be on much surer ground if they justify change on the basis of social habits.
The Chancellor’s team reportedly wants to cut it from 20 per cent to 19 per cent in 2023. Here’s why that wouldn’t be a good idea.
The Conservatives should think about the implications of what would happen if Labour got serious on this issue.
Plus: The Government will soon have to set out the tough decisions on public spending to constituents.
Any new system should direct incentives towards rewarding those who step down to retirement accommodation and those cared for by their descendants.
Finally, the television licence. The principle ought to be that those who wish to watch the BBC pay a fee and those who don’t watch it do not.
We need an overhaul to meet both the immediate challenges posed by Brexit and to maintain our global position as other countries start catching us up.
Perhaps the cost of dying all seems rather small fry, in relation to delivering Brexit by October 31. But there is likely to be a Budget ahead of the deadline.
Keep them low where possible; find the optimal point on the Laffer Curve; avoid taxes which are expensive to collect; and undo the harm of Stamp Duty and Inheritance Tax.
We need to give more time and resource to those bringing up children. Such parents need a much better package from the state to look after a baby in the first year of its life.