Whingeing and Moaning
Most of the country seems to accept that public spending has to be brought under control - and that UK PLC cannot go on spending more than it earns.
So far, so good - but the only way to achieve this objective is to either cut public spending or raise taxes - or a mixture of the two.
Responding to public concern over high and ever rising fuel costs - the government decides to impose a windfall tax on North Sea oil companies - and then what happens?
People complain that the new, higher taxes will drive future investment out of the North Sea.
Including Norwegian operators who have the cheek to moan and whinge - even though they are currently taxed at a higher rate by their own national government - than they are in the UK.
Which just goes to show that you can't please all of the people all of the time.
Sometimes you've just got to get on with it - and ignore the special pleading from vested interest groups.
So far, so good - but the only way to achieve this objective is to either cut public spending or raise taxes - or a mixture of the two.
Responding to public concern over high and ever rising fuel costs - the government decides to impose a windfall tax on North Sea oil companies - and then what happens?
People complain that the new, higher taxes will drive future investment out of the North Sea.
Including Norwegian operators who have the cheek to moan and whinge - even though they are currently taxed at a higher rate by their own national government - than they are in the UK.
Which just goes to show that you can't please all of the people all of the time.
Sometimes you've just got to get on with it - and ignore the special pleading from vested interest groups.
