Tax free allowances

Just been thinking about the idea of MP’s getting a £23k tax free expense allowance. What an excellent idea. The company I work for could adopt a similar system. Indeed all companies could, thereby reducing internal administration (no receipts required) and making the company more competitive by reducing the employers NI currently paid on salaries. Also, since the allowance would be tax free there could be a cut in those salaries. (Admittedly there would be no increased competiveness against other UK companies if all adopted this system, but there would still be a gain against foreign competitors.)

I know, I’ll drop the treasury an e-mail asking how such a scheme can be set up. I wonder what the response will be.

Update

I’ve sent the below to the Treasury and No 10 Downing St.

"I understand that there is a proposal that MP’s be given a tax free allowance of £23,000 per annum and that no receipts would be required to justify expenditure to this limit. The company for which I work is interested in setting up a similar scheme. Please could you send me details of how such a scheme would operate. Obviously given the principle of equality under the law such a scheme cannot be restricted to MP's alone."

God seems to approve

Ever since the results of the Mayoral election were announced London has been enjoying decent, sunny even hot weather. Coincidence? I think not. Surely it's God's way of demonstrating his approval.
How good will the weather be if Cameron gets in?

Oh well, must go and buy some shorts!

I was wrong - Hurrah

I was wrong, Boris did get the mayoralty, and by a comfortable margin.
I'm delighted for him and for London.

Can Boris do it?

The opinion polls, well YouGov at least, seem to have Boris ahead by 6%. Other polls seem to show Livingstone ahead. So which is correct?
Watching TV last night I was struck by how little enthusiasm there is for Livingstone amongst his supporters. Most seemed to think that he had been in power for long enough. Contrary wise there is great enthusiasm for Boris.
This suggests that there may well be differential turnout between supporters of the two candidates, with supporters of Boris anxious to vote and supporters of Livingstone more inclined to abstain. So, on the face of it, Boris should win.

Nevertheless, my gut feel is that Boris won’t win. I suspect the Labour machine will drag its members kicking and screaming to the polling booths where they will dutifully hold their noses and vote for the evil that is Livingstone.

Meanwhile the Tory vote – based principally in the “doughnut” around central London will be lower than hoped as the daily commute, showers and the general hassle of getting around will combine to deter many Boris supporters.

No-one will be more delighted than me if I’m wrong.

Well off to vote now – for Boris and the forces of light (of course).



UPDATE
It seems William Hill have noticed a surge in betting on Boris - he's now 2/7 with Satan at 5/2.