It makes my blood boil to hear “leading economists” call for the abolition of the 50p top rate on the grounds that “highly mobile” people might get affronted and leave the UK.

It is all nonsense.

Let them go. But don’t let them back in again if things go pear shaped in their destination of choice.

George Osborne is reportedly sticking to his guns and is determined to retain the 50p rate. He could hardly do otherwise after telling the country we are all in it together.

Oh, yes. And the 50p rate will bring in around £12.6 billion over the next five years.

Labour focuses narrowly on bankers’ bonuses when it should be vigorously arguing the case for more progressive taxation.

The UK's tax regime is simply not fair.

We have 8 property bands for council tax (and 9 in Wales) and still Vince Cable sees the need for a new Mansions Tax.

So why can’t we have 8 income tax bands?

If that's unfair then let's hear the arguments.

Ashcroft and the Turks and Caicos

The tax cheat Michael Ashcroft is at it again.

The UK taxpayer is footing the bill for the stream of Parliamentary Questions he tables about the Turks and Caicos Islands, a series of dots on the map of the Caribbean where he has extensive business interests. Here is the latest one.

Why does he want to know the names of the business people Henry Bellingham met when he visited the islands in July?