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| Wealthy should pay more tax, says Nick Clegg | Wealthy should pay more tax, says Nick Clegg |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Deputy PM Nick Clegg has suggested the UK's wealthiest people could be asked to pay more tax for a limited period. | Deputy PM Nick Clegg has suggested the UK's wealthiest people could be asked to pay more tax for a limited period. |
| He said that "if we want to remain cohesive and prosperous as a society" those of "very considerable" wealth should make an extra contribution, in an interview with the Guardian. | He said that "if we want to remain cohesive and prosperous as a society" those of "very considerable" wealth should make an extra contribution, in an interview with the Guardian. |
| "What we are embarked on is in some senses a longer economic war rather than a short economic battle," he said. | "What we are embarked on is in some senses a longer economic war rather than a short economic battle," he said. |
| Conservative MP Mary Macleod dismissed the idea as "pre-conference gesturing". | |
| In the Guardian interview, Mr Clegg also hinted at a return to cabinet for ex-treasury minister David Laws. | |
| Liberal Democrat Mr Laws resigned as chief secretary to the Treasury two years ago after admitting he claimed expenses to pay his partner rent. | Liberal Democrat Mr Laws resigned as chief secretary to the Treasury two years ago after admitting he claimed expenses to pay his partner rent. |
| "I have never made any secret of the fact that I want to see David Laws back in government," Mr Clegg told the newspaper. | "I have never made any secret of the fact that I want to see David Laws back in government," Mr Clegg told the newspaper. |
| He also said the coalition would stand by its commitment not to build a third runway at Heathrow despite growing calls from Tory MPs for a change of heart. | He also said the coalition would stand by its commitment not to build a third runway at Heathrow despite growing calls from Tory MPs for a change of heart. |
| 'Belt tightening' | 'Belt tightening' |
| In the interview, Mr Clegg called for a "time limited contribution" from the richest in society beyond his party's current policy for a mansion tax - taxes on properties above a certain value. | |
| "In addition to our standing policy on things like the mansion tax is there a time limited contribution you can ask in some way or another from people of considerable wealth so they feel they are making a contribution to the national effort?" he said. | "In addition to our standing policy on things like the mansion tax is there a time limited contribution you can ask in some way or another from people of considerable wealth so they feel they are making a contribution to the national effort?" he said. |
| He said fairness was key to the next steps in tackling the "longer economic war". | He said fairness was key to the next steps in tackling the "longer economic war". |
| "While I am proud of some of the things we have done as a government I actually think we need to really hard-wire fairness into what we do in the next phases of fiscal restraint," he said. | "While I am proud of some of the things we have done as a government I actually think we need to really hard-wire fairness into what we do in the next phases of fiscal restraint," he said. |
| "If we don't do that I don't think the process will be either socially or politically sustainable or acceptable." | "If we don't do that I don't think the process will be either socially or politically sustainable or acceptable." |
| 'Failing plan' | 'Failing plan' |
| Responding to the interview, Chris Leslie, Labour's shadow treasury minister, said: "Nick Clegg is once again taking the British people for fools. He talks about a tax on the wealthiest, but he voted for the tax cut for millionaires in George Osborne's Budget. | Responding to the interview, Chris Leslie, Labour's shadow treasury minister, said: "Nick Clegg is once again taking the British people for fools. He talks about a tax on the wealthiest, but he voted for the tax cut for millionaires in George Osborne's Budget. |
| "And he has supported a failing economic plan which has pushed Britain into a double-dip recession and is leading to borrowing going up by a quarter so far this year." | "And he has supported a failing economic plan which has pushed Britain into a double-dip recession and is leading to borrowing going up by a quarter so far this year." |
| A Lib Dem source played down any suggestion of an imminent policy announcement, and suggested the party was likely to have a combination of measures in mind. | A Lib Dem source played down any suggestion of an imminent policy announcement, and suggested the party was likely to have a combination of measures in mind. |
| Conservative MP Mary Macleod told the BBC she did not think Mr Clegg's idea would be implemented. | |
| "This is Nick Clegg saying let's try out a few ideas before party conference, probably will cheer up a few Lib Dems to talk about it. But it isn't government policy," she said. | |
| Senior Tory backbencher Bernard Jenkin also attacked the idea, and said Mr Clegg's proposal could "strangle the goose that lays the golden egg". | |
| "If the politics of envy made a country rich, we would be a very rich country. | |
| "I think most rich people are contributing far more in tax than other people. I know this is not a fashionable view, but if you go on raising tax on rich people - and that's why, in agreement with Nick Clegg we have had to cut the top rate of tax from 50p to 45p - you drive wealth abroad. | |
| "This is a pre-conference easy clap line," he said. | |
| Discussions about tax and spending will take place before the chancellor's autumn statement. | Discussions about tax and spending will take place before the chancellor's autumn statement. |
| Should the wealthiest be asked to pay more tax for a limited period? You can send us your comments using the form below. | Should the wealthiest be asked to pay more tax for a limited period? You can send us your comments using the form below. |