All in the Timing

Gordon Brown's decision to abolish the 10% tax band will have hit the lowly monthly paid at the end of last week and during this week. As it does each of these people will look at their payslips because, unlike MPs and journalists, they know what their monthly net pay is and they have budgeted accordingly. At previous places of work, a mistake in the payroll is not spotted by the accounts department, it is spotted by a married man in the warehouse who knows what he earns. I have had to explain NIc and PAYE changes to such people before and they take decreases in their net pay very badly.

So what a stroke of political genius for Gordon Brown to ensure that the abolition of the 10% tax rate hit the lowest paid workers a week or less before local elections.