RE: France bond movements28 Aug 2025 08:44
I hope not but I think we may be seeing something very different from what has gone before in respect to taxation in the UK.
Correct me if I'm wrong but we have never before been taxed for just owning something, be that property, valuables or money. If Rachel from Complaints does what it seems she might, then there is a fundamental change coming. Up until now tax has only ever been collected when a transfer has taken place. Be that the purchase of goods (VAT and other duties), a house (stamp duty or CGT), earnings from work and investments (PAYE etc.), the list goes on, and on, and on...
Now, however, could we be taxed just because we own something? No transfer required. Taxed before we even realise any gains. I lived in Finland in the early noughties. They had a wealth tax at that time but have since seen sense and binned it. I hope the UK does not go down that road. We need to promote wealth creation, not punish it. Otherwise, what's the point of going to work in the morning?
I wonder what affect France's debt problems will have on the rest of the EU, particularly euro members? France is far more fortunate than us, paying well over a percentage less yield on its long-term debt - the euro effect. In fact all of the so-called PIIGS from the 2008 GFC now have lower debt yields than the UK. But that can't go on forever. Germany (reluctantly for them) seems to be propping up the rest, but how long can that continue? They aren't exactly firing on all cylinders at the moment either, and they too are set to borrow much more (albeit from a much lower base) to finance their increased defence spending. Up until now all eyes have been on the UK as the ugly duckling, but at least the UK has a central bank and so can control its own monetary policy. None of the euro area central banks can claim that. Are we about to see another sovereign debt crisis in Europe?