When next you hear crocodile tears that the government can't afford cash to help hard-pressed people struggling with fuel bills; fund life-saving drugs, improve roads and public transport,, etc., etc, consider this...
Every time the utility companies raise electricity and gas tariffs forcing us all to pay more, the government cashes in too – thanks to abominable five per cent VAT (I believe this is forced on us by our EU membership).
We all know the government
has made a small fortune on the rising price of fuel too, with the 17½ per cent VAT, so the Treasury's piggy bank is brimming with cash, and just imagine how much bigger it's going to get when the electricity and gas price rises really kick in this winter.
OK, company profits are down, so that tax take is reduced, and every time unemployment goes up the government has to shell out more.
But one thing's for sure, the government needs not one jot of our sympathy, and I hope no-one gives them any!
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