Private schools are, on the whole, a good thing. They give parents greater choice in their children’s education, provide the … Continue reading “In defence of VAT on private school fees”

In response to reports that the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, is said to be considering a VAT cut followed by tax … Continue reading “Hard to imagine a “worse combination” than VAT cut followed by tax rises”

Responding to press reports that the Treasury is considering a cut in VAT, IEA Economics Fellow Julian Jessop said: “It’s … Continue reading “Cutting VAT might kickstart demand but it will have large deadweight costs”

Few disagree that Britain’s tax system is a mess. Whether it’s the baffling contradiction of taxing fuel uniquely heavily if … Continue reading “A clutch of taxes deserve to be abolished”

The opinion polls were wrong again; Brexit has won (and as a Lancastrian I was delighted to see the North … Continue reading “Tax policy after Brexit”

Rumours abound that the government is secretly quite keen on imposing a new tax on sugary drinks, to attempt to … Continue reading “A sugar tax would only make the UK tax system more incoherent”

Tim Montgomerie has been a leading advocate of a move from income to wealth taxes in recent months. In a … Continue reading “When it comes to taxing property, it is important to get your premises right”

It is very clear that the government cannot carry on borrowing at current rates and the coalition’s proposals for reducing … Continue reading “There is no reason to raise VAT”

In the context of Britain’s fiscal crisis, today’s rise in VAT from 17.5% to 20% may be seen by some … Continue reading “Why raising VAT destroys wealth”