Is this where I came in? Today I read that another of the line up of loonies in this coalition of the unwise is to roll back one of Maggie Thatcher's few good ideas. Yeah, I know but she did have some, be fair. Eric Pickles wants to do away with the Uniform Business Rate - the clue, Eric is in the title - and allow councils to independently vary the levy.
The UBR (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_rates_in_England_and_Wales) was introduced in 1990 in response in large part to the reasonable complaint from businesses that two identical businesses in identical premises on opposite sides of the same street could be paying vastly different "non-domestic rates" to different councils. This unfair competitive factor was one among many that made this rate unpopular with small business in particular. And now Mr Pickles tells us that it is in response to small business demands that he wants to effectively put the clock back.
Now admittedly Maggie's writ didn't have long to run in 1990 and the Poll Tax, possibly her daftest idea, was soon to lay her low. But really Eric, don't you think it would be a good idea to learn something from history? If you must tinker then at least be innovative and not simply re-create the errors of the past. And please try not to trample Maggie's reputation - you'll startle the horses in the shires.
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