We at Recess Monkey are sad to hear that Billionaire Tory Party Treasurer Michael Spencer has announced he’s splitting from his wife Lorraine.
However, according to “sources close to the couple” (CCHQ) they’re NOT divorcing. (Yeah, you keep them fingers crossed Mike!)
But with a personal wealth of £1.15 billion, we can only wonder if this relationship could have been saved if only Osbourne’s “£20 a week tax break to stay with your spouse” policy was enacted.
Or perhaps it could be Michael just didn’t treasurer enough!
Sorry.
Loading ...
Just because you disagree with someone’s political stance is that reason to take delight in what is surely a very distressing time for them? It’s fairly obvious that Michael wont be needing the 20 quid but there are plenty of married couples who do (especially after the tax and spend policies of GB).
Does it make sense that you will be better off separated rather than staying married or has the state finally superseeded marriage?
1/10 - fail
(or pass under new labour’s education policy)
maas101 said this on August 29th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
They have obviously, successfully, highlighted the stupidity of tory marriage policy. so fuck off
Ivor Bignob said this on August 29th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
*superceded* (it’s been a long day)
maas101 said this on August 29th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
My, what an intelligent comment Ivor. What stupidity would that be? Go on, enlighten us with your obviously razor sharp wit and intellect.
Or not…..
maas101 said this on August 29th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I love the Tories proposal to give 20 quid a week to married couples. I wonder what Dave and Sam will spend it on or for that matter Wayne and Coleen, Jordan and Peter or Tony and Cherie. Isn’t it going to be a bit hard on couples who do divorce that on top of the emotional difficulty they’ll also have to contend with the loss of 1000 per year as well as all the other costs involved (legal, housing etc)
Simon Leonard said this on August 29th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
There are just so many more rich celebrity married couples than ordinary hard working people that it’s just a tax break for the rich and famous, silly me. Given that it’s proven that children do better when both parents are together rather than from single parent families doesn’t it make just the tiniest bit of sense to give some small incentive to stay together?
And not to question your obviously faultless maths but as it stands the couple that splits will not be £1000 worse of (at todays taxion) but if they stay together they will be £1000 better off.
maas101 said this on August 29th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
You know, I’ve read and read my (light hearted) comment and I can’t find the bit where I said there where ’so many more rich celebrity married couples’, could you point it out to me?
The point I was trying to make which was perhaps a bit too subtle for you was that in times when government doesn’t have a lot of money to spend, what’s the point of giving cash to footballers and the like?
As for my flawless maths try and follow this -
A married couple with 2 kids all living together have 1 house to pay for and on top of their salaries they receive 1000 per year from the Tory government.
The same couple divorce meaning that one parent moves out, therefore there are 2 houses to pay for. On top of this, because they are no longer married they lose the 1000 from the Tory government and will have paid a lot of money in legal fees.
So emotional distress plus extra financial hardships, is that compassionate conservatism? Lots of marriages end in divorce you know, 20 quid a week ain’t going to change that.
Simon Leonard said this on August 29th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Uh Dave and Sam Cameron, Wayne and Coleen Rooney, Jordan and Peter (Buggered if I can remember the surname) All very wealthy couples, your point was, which you reiterated, that some who will receive the benefit don’t need it. You’re correct, my point was that the proportion of people who do need it far outweigh those who don’t.
At the moment if a married couple splits, individually they are better off. The Tory initative is an attempt to make marriage taxation neutral. Do I deserve to be penalised because I want to marry and settle down and perhaps provide a stable home to children?
Lots of marriages do end in dovorce but getting a tax break shouldn’t be one opf the reasons for it.
maas101 said this on August 29th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
I take your point about the current arrangements and as the product of a happy stable home I would wish the same for everyone but I don’t think the Tory proposal is going to work and is unfair on many levels. It shouldn’t be the job of government to favour any type of family arrangement over another
Simon Leonard said this on August 29th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Oh it’s Peter Andre by the way and you can argue until the end of days but you will never convince me that any proposal to give that Australian twat a penny is a good idea
Simon Leonard said this on August 29th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
For once we agree! If I could think of a way that would exclude that prat then it would get my vote. I do think however that there are a lot of hard working couples that could really use the break.
maas101 said this on August 29th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Why should a woman who divorces a husband who is beating the shit out of her get a financial penalty for going so? I stand by my earlier fuck off
Ivor Bignob said this on August 29th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
The problem with the current system is that a man who supports his wife at home with the kid by earning 50 grand, pays more tax than a couple who earn 25 grand each (with or without a kid) even though the family income is the same - because they are making use of both tax allowances. Most countries allow joint tax returns, or to declare that you want to use your wife’s unused tax allowance on your own tax return. In Britain that is not possible.
This mostly affects people in the middle though. At the top end people can do things like put their investments in their wife’s name or have her on the books as an employee. At the bottom it will always make sense not to be married and not to officially be living together and get more benefits (and sometimes even a second flat which can be re-rented out to Polish labourers).
Richard said this on August 30th, 2008 at 8:15 pm