Frances Ryan describes the situation very well (There is no ‘change’ for Britain without a massive injection of cash. Why won’t our politicians admit it?, 7 June). The decision by Rachel Reeves to work within the Conservative tax framework, apart from small changes that can only raise inadequate amounts, must condemn a Labour administration to pernicious austerity. The obvious remedy for this is a modest wealth tax, raising enough to improve public services considerably.
More significantly, Reeves, like her Conservative counterpart, relies on the dream of growth to pay for the improvements we all desire. But the commonplace insistence on the need for growth must be challenged. Economists like Kate Raworth and Kohei Saito have argued persuasively that the continuing pursuit of growth on a finite planet must lead inevitably to environmental destruction and widening inequality.
It is high time that progressive politicians find the bravery not only to propose wealth taxes but also to advocate for an end to growth, or even for degrowth. Only this, combined with redistributive measures worldwide, can give us hope for a better, greener world.
Dr Ian Saville
London
• Frances Ryan is right to highlight how, by committing now to no increases in various taxes, Labour is boxing in its ability to deliver significant change for the better. And maybe her proposal for a one-off wealth tax on the super-rich is the answer. But, if it is, that won’t stop the same boxing-in dynamic in future general election campaigns.
To break out of this pernicious cycle, what about the next government calling a referendum, upon taking office, to determine whether the electorate would prefer to stick within the existing spending envelope (and the consequences of that on public spending) or pay higher taxes to fund the winning party’s manifesto commitments sooner?
If the result were that a majority favoured the latter but hadn’t been able to convey that via the ballot box – because it wasn’t an option from the main parties – then that might also be the turning point to bring about more honest debates about taxation in future elections.
Ben Norman
London
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