The future of the 50 per cent tax rate is growing issue within the coalition. Unlike most government wrangles, this one doesn’t split
on partisan lines, with the yellows on one hand and the blues on the other. The debate is largely being forged by personalities. George
Osborne is well entrenched; Eric Pickles weighed-in for the race last weekend, saying that he wanted people “to
keep more money in their pockets”, indicating that he hopes the rate is temporary. (He went take a swipe at Vince Cable’s mansions tax, which he described as a “big mistake”.)
It’s David Willetts’ turn this weekend. The Times reports (£) that Willetts believes the tax must stay for the time being. Willetts said,
“It is very important that people see that when times are tough, we are, as they say, all in it together. That is an argument. People see that there are higher rates of tax being borne.
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