In a recent comment to Scott Newton’s guest blog, “Why Cutting Income Tax, Cutting Red Tape and Deregulating Business is essential for the UK’s Future.” I promised to write more on UK Tax Policy.

I must add that these are my personal observations and are not intended to upset anyone…

…Including Scott who’s piece is right on the mark. (Well done Scott!)

For the past 4 years my company (www.ditg.org.uk) has been funded by the worlds largest ICT brands to establish a replacement for the Government’s Home Computing Initiative (HCI).

HCI was budget measure implemented by Gordon Brown as a Tax Incentive for employees. Under Section 320 of the Finance Act, employees could acquire up to £2500 worth computer equipment from their employer Income Tax exempt. In turn, employers enjoyed an exemption on Class 1A National Insurance on the amounts salary sacrificed by the employee.

This created an industry worth £450 Million to the UK and about 2500 related employment opportunities.

Unfortunately, the exemption was removed in Budget 2006. (It was proving too successful?)

This resulted in one of the longest cross-examinations during the reading for a finance bill in recent times. (Well worth a read on Hanson – see the below link).

The Government cited “abuse” as the reason for removing the benefit and pledged to “refocus efforts on those most in need”. Check out the written evidence taken at the time:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmtreasy/994/994we14.htm

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmtreasy/994/994we08.htm

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmtreasy/994/994we06.htm

YOU MUST READ THIS NEXT ONE, IT IS NOT SPECIFICALLY HCI, BUT IS A GREAT READ.

IT ALSO SHOW THAT INSPITE OF WHAT YOU MAY THINK, WE DO RETAIN A AN OPEN AN UNBVIASED RECORD OF PUBLIC COMMENT AS PART OF UK POLITICS.

IT IS ALSO HILARIOUS:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmtreasy/994/994we07.htm

Just in case you don’t want to click off the blog – here is a taster:

“The rhetoric of “transformation”, “reform”, “investment”, “transparency”, “devolution”, “prudent”, “cautious”, “audited” and “world class” is so indulgent and self-congratulatory that one wonders if some drafters inside the Treasury are parodying ministers.”

Professor David Heald, Comments on Budget 2006

Ouch!

At the time the Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats both lobbied against the decision and the recorded debate on Hansard is a fantastic read. It is also a good introduction to political punditry and how Politician’s really debate:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo060502/debtext/60502-22.htm

(The unanswered question for me was always how you can abuse a taxation system that assesses individual taxation in arrears…but then I am bias and this blog isn’t about HCI!)

So with this background you would think that it would be easy to gain Parliamentary support for a refocused replacement scheme developed over 4 years at a cost to the IT Industry (not the tax payer!) of over £2.6 Million.

Not so…

In practice the differentiation between the Parties on the issue of supporting a tax incentives is in practice not all that large. (Sorry Scott)

ALL Ministers (despite what the expenses scandal suggests) are concerned as to how to pay for any incentive, will it fit with policy…

So why post this blog at all?

Well my personal concern is not about the detail of Tax Policies, nor believe it or not HCI.

My concern is the Conservative approach. Will it win us the election?

Have a look at the following comparison of Labor and Tax summary statements.

John questions whether there is enough clear blue water between Labour & Conservatives on Tax policy……you decide!

Treat yourself and see if you can spot the difference!

Conservatives:

“We will freeze council tax for two years by reducing wasteful spending on advertising and consultancy in central government.”

Labour:

“We are reducing the amount of central prescription so that local authorities and their partners are better able to respond to local needs and demands.”

Conservatives:

“We will introduce a £50bn National Loan Guarantee Scheme to underwrite
bank lending to businesses and get credit flowing again.”

Labour (DirectGov):

“The government is announcing that it will offer capital and asset protection on those assets most affected by the current economic conditions. This will reduce banks’ uncertainty about the value of past investments, so providing them with greater confidence to lend in the future to creditworthy businesses, homeowners and consumers.”

Labour (Policy):

“Working with banks, Labour is providing loan guarantees to businesses to help them get the credit they need.”

Conservatives:

“We will provide tax cuts for new jobs with a £2.6bn package of tax breaks to get people into work, funded by money that would otherwise go on unemployment benefit.”

Labour:

“Extra cash to encourage employers to recruit people without jobs.”

“Stepping up the training and support people need to get back to work.”

Conservatives:

“We will cut the main rate of corporation tax to 25p and the small companies’ rate to 20p, paid for by scrapping complex reliefs and allowances”

Labour:

“Allowing businesses facing difficulties to spread their tax payments on a timetable they can afford.”

Conservatives:

“We will give small and medium-sized businesses a six-month VAT holiday, funded by a 7.5% interest rate on delayed payments.”

Labour:

“We have reduce VAT to 15%”

Conservatives:

“We will cut National Insurance by 1% for six months for firms with fewer than five employees, paid for from the above changes to the company tax regime.”  

Labour:

“When it is affordable, we will re-link the basic state pension to earnings.  We aim to do this by 2012 or by the end of the next parliament at the latest.”

Conservatives:

“We will abolish Stamp Duty for nine out of ten first-time buyers and raise the Inheritance Tax threshold to £1 million. Both of these changes will be funded by a flat-rate charge on non-domiciles.”

Labour:

“Extending the Stamp Duty holiday for properties under £175,000”

“Extra mortgage protection to help families stay in their homes”

“Helping savers by increasing the threshold of Individual Savings Accounts to over £10,000”

Now hopefully some clever contributors will now explain to me the differences in the comments…WAIT, some I can see! (And before you comment, I know that the Conservatives have shown how they will pay for it !!)

But you know it all does kind of sound the same to me…and taxation detail is part of my day job…

…So what hope does the deciding electorate have?

I do sincerely hope the Tory manifesto has some really clear taxation differentiators in it.

Otherwise I might get confused and vote for the wrong Party.

Here is a thought…committing to bring back s320 income tax benefits for computers would be a start.

Hey look, it is my daily bread…      

John Laity…..

Why Cutting Income Tax, Cutting Red Tape and Deregulating Business is essential for the UK’s Future : by Scott Newton. 
 
I run a Small Business in Newcastle upon Tyne and from my own personal experiences of running a Company I have come to the following Conclusion:
 
Britain as a whole is not a Naturally Big Government Socialist Country; we never have and never will be. This nation naturally believes in Low Taxes, Deregulation and supporting out Small Business’s and Enterprises. I believe that is part of the “greatness” of Britain. We are a very hard working nation providing Wealth Creation Opportunities to all people regardless of their background or personal Circumstances. Conservatives don’t judge people by their bank account we judge them by their actions.

The entrepreneurial talent is still there in our nation, people with new ideas, new Products, new inventions which will ultimately create the jobs that this country now so desperately needs now and in the future. Since Labours win in 1997 the Business World has gradually become more and more regulated and higher taxed which as a result I regard as Sanctions by this Government against out SME’s and talent. Every Labour Government since the war has put up unemployment and created more Public Sector jobs to hide the unemployment figures, hence why we are bankrupt; everyday 2000 people lose their jobs, and 56 Business’s or more fold. This really cannot carry on.
 
Upon the Conservative Win of David Cameron ad Prime Minister, George Osbourne as Chancellor and Ken Clarke and Business Secretary, this nation and the new Leaders must  back its Business people and it’s new wave of talent to create the new opportunities for the new jobs and new ideas. First there must be a reduction in taxes, we cannot carry on with the way we are going having huge Socialist over manning and Government jobs when there is no one actually funding this none Productive Public Sector bureaucracy which many civil Servants regard as “Cushy”.
 
We must reduce the size of this Government State and bring more power back to the people.
Margaret Thatcher had the right ideas and she was excellent, I think David Cameron must have the Thatcherism fight for Business in him.
 
Deregulating Business’s is also what I regard as mandatory; so many people have the right idea and potential to start a Business but don’t actually know how, or where to start. Many of us could be Unemployed, have the idea, have the product or service that could be a perfect little new market earner, but they get told by a Government Bureaucrat at the Local Job Centre they are not eligible for funding or initial backing due to their Current circumstances which I think this is so very wrong. Hence another Labour mistake of “creed of ignorance, philosophy of failure, gospel of envy” as Winston Churchill regarded the Socialists.
Now Red Tape is a pain, I run a Business I know what it is like, luckily I have not folded as yet but this regulation and red tape is a night mare. It’s all regulation and a constant stream of tick box Paper work for Business’s and it puts no doubt many people off running their own Company. We must move away from this finger wagging, over taxing, over regulating way of Socialism and look to the future of supporting our economy and getting Britain Moving again with new Private Enterprise.
 
I think, and I hope David and George have it in them to return power back to the people and I am 100% sure they will not let us down.

Scott Newton

First off, many apologies for my lack of blogging of late.  I have been very remiss in providing my usual regular insights and commentary into current news and politics.  Thank you for all of you who have emailed me asking if all is well.

All is ok.  We live in difficult times.  The company I work for, (as have many companies across the world), have been announcing its plans for streamlining costs and this has involved a reduction in workforce, ie redundancies.  This impacts and touches upon all workers, as whilst I have not been impacted, friends and colleagues, who mean a lot, will be now looking for work.  Obviously, many of you reading this blog are all too familiar with redundancies and businesses struggling in this, the worst recession, since the 1930’s. 

Normal blogging will resume again shortly, so thanks for those providing guest blog pieces.

Your emails and thoughts have meant a lot……..

Again, I sincerely apologise to regular readers that I have neglected this community for the past period.  Interesting, that sorry seems to be the hardest word.  Gordon Brown can never bring himself to say it…..but at least I can!!!!!

Nigel Farage may have grabbed the headlines when he announced he was breaking centuries of Parliamentary convention and challenging Speaker Bercow for the seat of Buckingham.  Much chatter has remained about the possibility of an Independent Candidate emerging to challenge them both.  Independent candidates could play a big role in the next election as anger continues over MP’s expenses and with Parliament failing to sanction tough action against some of the worst offenders, fury remains in the country at large.  Speaker Bercow announced this week that MP’s who ‘flipped’ their second homes to maximise their expenses or avoided paying capital gains tax will escape censure under the Official House of Commons enquiry.  That means MP’s like Elliot Morley and David Chaytor who claimed thousands for ‘phantom mortgages’ have been given the all clear by Sir Thomas Legg.  Oh and another ‘flipper’, John Bercow, wont be penalised…worth mentioning that!

Today’s guest blog is from Patrick Phillips, the man that both Bercow and Farage will come to hear much more from in the coming weeks and months.  It goes without saying that come election results night, Buckingham will certainly be a Constituency that the media will be keeping a close eye on and reporting widely.  When Patrick got in touch telling me he was standing and the reasons why, it made sense for a Guest Blog so you readers could hear his story and pass your own judgement.  A story of how a Conservative voter felt he needed to take action.   Over to you Patrick…….

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Superb thoughts from Guest Blogger John Laity.

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Britain remains in recession, yet Germany and France recover……Fiscal Stimulus or Tax Breaks?

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) today (23/10/09) said British gross domestic product fell by 0.4 per cent between July and September, meaning the economy has contracted for six successive quarters for the first time since records began in 1955.

With an election due by next June, the length of the downturn must be worrying for Gordo and the Labour Party, particularly as Germany and France are already out of recession. Does this show that the Labour spin machine is way off the mark:

“This Chancellor is leading the rest of the world in taking us out of recession.” Gordon Brown, Hansard, 3 June 09

Following publication of the ONS report sterling fell by more than a cent against the dollar, providing no relief for Chancellor Darling, who has forecast that UK growth will resume by the end of the year and is counting on a stronger rebound in the coming years than most independent forecasts.

UK Services contracted by 0.2 percent over the quarter, with the distribution, hotels and catering sub-sector leading the decline with a 1 per cent quarterly drop. This can only be bad news for Unemployment figures, hidden perhaps by the news that Royal Mail workers will strike for a second time…not good for business…

The ONS also showed industrial output to be weak, following a sharp monthly drop in August, and the GDP data bore this out. Industrial production fell by 0.7 per cent over the quarter, taking its annual decline to 10.4 per cent.

Commenting on growth figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) the TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

‘This is now the longest recession in modern economic history. Even the co-ordinated world-wide stimulus has not been able to halt the damage done by the financial crash.

Even if we had achieved a technical recovery today, it would not feel like a recovery to the thousands losing their jobs or afraid that they will join the dole queue in the months ahead when unemployment will continue rising. It takes more than a statistical read out and the return of big bank bonuses for a real recovery.

These worse than expected figures should head off the growing signs of complacency. The economy is still extremely fragile. Any halt in economic stimulus – or even worse, cuts in spending in a premature effort to close the deficit – could easily send us into another downwards spiral.

Politicians cannot now say that the recession is over so we can go back to treating the unemployed as work-shy scroungers rather than victims of the financial crash. Fighting unemployment – particularly among the young – must be national priority number one.’

Ouch…pokes in the eye for Gordo and Darling…best wear safety specs from now on in…

So why is it that Germany and France have recovered sooner than the UK?

The quick answer is that the UK economy was in a worse state than the rest of the world. Something I am sure all opposition parties will want to highlight.

HOWEVER, on the run up to an election we should look to dig deeper.

As late as April 2009, analysts were predicting that the outlook for the German Economy was gloomiest of all states:

“Berlin, 8 April, 2009 The outlook for Europe’s largest economy is nothing less than catastrophic. For an economy that has been historically strong, never contracting more than 1% a year since World War II, the Commerzbank forecast that it would shrink 7-9% in 2009 is not encouraging.”

However, as part of Germany’s recovery plan they instigated a sweeping range of Tax Breaks, including allowing companies to write off interest payments more easily, as well as the loosening of Gewerbesteuer, which is a local trade tax.

In addition to reducing the tax burden on business, Germany instigated a range of Tax Breaks for individuals including a measure to reduce “cold progression” — where workers’ income tax brackets rise with pay increases.

Indeed while the UK Government has pledged to remove tax breaks for Child Care Vouchers, the German Government has plans to raise child-support payments to 200 euros a month from 154 euros and lift the tax exemption for dependent children to 8,004 euros from 6,024 euros annually.

To be fair, these plans were shelved from immediate implementation on 10/10/09 by the German Government, but the difference in approach between the UK and Germany is clear.

Meanwhile, France’s Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres has classified video gaming as art. In doing so, the French gaming industry including Ubisoft, Vivendi and Infogrames received a 20 percent tax break. Gaming Projects were pre-approved to ensure they provided cultural diversity, but this is still a smart move as the Gaming Market seems to be recession proof, so a great thing to promote within your economy.

Of the projects approved, 45 per cent were Nintendo DS projects with an average budget of EUR 281,000 (GBP 250,000), 20 per cent were Wii projects for EUR 2.7 million (GBP 2.3 million), 16 per cent PC projects for 2.5 million (GBP 2.2 million), while PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 projects accounted for a further 15 per cent, averaging at EUR 11.2 million (GBP 9.9 million).

A similar project is underway for film makers, where foreign film makers can recoup up to 20 per cent of their production budget in France, up to a maximum of four million euros. The BBC have already taken advantage of this on it’s series ‘Merlin’, which is being filmed in a chateau in northern France…It seems somehow wrong that King Arthur isn’t supporting English Heritage sites…

But it is not all culture, one of the main forms of assistance granted to address the recession is an exemption from the French business rates, the taxe professionnelle.

The extent of the exemption depends on the type of business and the decisions of the local, county and regional councils, but in those ZRR communes with less than 2000 habitants, all new start-ups with less than 5 employees can get complete exemption for a period of 5 years. Similar assistance is provided in Local property taxes, but the most interesting assistance is provided in the form of employer social security contributions.

If you are proposing to take on staff in France, then there is complete exemption from the payment of employer social security contributions for any new employees, for up to 12 months, capped at 150% of the level of the basic wage…A measure that is very similar to that proposed by the UK Conservative Party, who plan to provide National Insurance exemption for new company start ups.

What has the UK done?

Chancellor Darling did implement a reduction in Value Added Tax (Input Tax / VAT) by 2.5%. However, you have to consider that many companies and organisations annually reclaim VAT as part of business expences. As such, although the stimulus is effective in passing individual households savings on everyday items, those business reclaiming VAT skew the picture. More over, as the stimulus is time limited it does little to mitigate VAT charged on long term leasing or outsourcing contracts. If you leased plant in 2009, you know that it will cost more in 2010.

The Chancellor also implemented the green car incentive program, similar to that in place in Germany…Sadly, too late for the LDV Maxus Van, but then I am not sure that the scheme would have applied in any case…

One thing is for sure. With Election 2010 looming and the difference between Tory 10% Cuts and Labour 9.8% Cuts to Public Services is so small, that the matter of taxation breaks and incentives is sure to be an interesting discussion area!

Some other things to digest:

The Australian Government announced a tax break as an ‘investment allowance’ in December 2008 aimed at helping businesses meet the challenges of the economic downturn. The government later extended this tax break in the May Budget to allow small businesses to claim a 50% tax deduction on eligible assets bought by 31 December 2009.

In New Zealand Offshore oil and gas explorers will have their tax breaks (due to expire in 2009) extended for another five years to bring additional revenues into the economy.

Huge welcome back to Scott Newton, who provides us a great thought provoking guest blog today.

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Labours Booze Britain. A drain on the NHS, A Drain on Police Resources. A waste on the Public Purse. It has got to stop under the new Conservative Administration!!!
 
After watching the TV Series Booze Britain on Bravo the TV Channel, and witnessing first hand Friday and Saturday Nights in out Town Centres I have come to the Conclusion of a Zero-Tolerance approach against these people who Drink themselves stupid, get mortal drunk, cause Trouble, start fights, then get treated on the NHS, or get arrested for Drunk and Disorderly Behaviour by the Police. Now I am not saying I am a saint, of course I am not I have been out lots of times, been drunk in the past, we all have! But I still keep that core words “Personal Responsibility” intact! There is a fine line between someone having a Good Night out, having a Laugh, then someone else Getting Politick, being Sick,  and then going to another bar to down and drink more alcohol, just for the sake of getting Mortal Drunk.
 
These people are a waste of time, a very expensive drain on the Economy; they have no “Respect” for themselves or anyone else around them. Prudence and thrift must come first under a Conservative Britain.
 
I see a huge problem of Underage Drinking here in the UK. Violence by boozed up girls and boys aged between 10 to 17 is at record Levels. Fatal Stabbings are on record Levels- mostly connected with Alcohol, and high amounts of it. This has got to stop. We have got to stop being such a Society of Wasters to a Nation of “personal Responsibility”. We in the UK are known as the Booze Brits, and we see the evidence of this all the time on Television, Newspapers of alcohol fuelled Violence. If anyone has seen the Street Crime UK Costa Del Sol programme you will know why.
 
But this again comes down to the Government in charge. And people as “individuals”  Since Labour has come to power, Alcohol related Deaths has increased. Alcohol Consumption is up Tenfold. Drink Driving is also at record Levels The NHS is stretched enough as it is and we still carry on treating these repeat offenders over and over again and it is adding to our NHS deficit. Now yes I am a Compassionate Conservative. I believe in the NHS, back the NHS and use the NHS. But the NHS is not an automatic resource for these “wasters” to use. It’s just Commons Sense that the NHS is for treatment of the Sick, the venerable and the elderly, not the repeat offender “Boozers”. If you cannot handle your Drink, Don’t drink in the First Place. That is my Policy!!
 
So again the Conservative Policy I believe should be to refuse “Repeat Offenders”. A 3 Strike rule in a 24 month Period or no NHS Treatment at all I would back. If it’s for people who are Drunk and Disorderly there should be a more severe Sentence instead of this slap on the wrist and a £40.00 ASBO fine. I think along the lines of Community Service of cleaning the Mess up on a Friday and Saturday Night that most Council workers have to do. Give them a Taste of their own Medicine so they can see what it is like. So these are my views and I would like to know other’s views as well. 
 
Scott Newton
Conservative Activist. Newcastle upon Tyne

I don’t know about you but I am getting bored with the constant references to the Bullingdon Club.  Seems that Labour will refer to it in their election campaign in an attempt to discredit former Bullingdon members David Cameron, Boris Johnson and George Osborne.  Such tired, boring politics wont wash with the British People who care for issues and how their lives will be affected not old University high jinx!

So what is this infamous Bullingdon Club we hear of so much?   Well, it is a socially exclusive student dining club at Oxford University, without any fixed abode, well known for its members’ wealth and destructive drinking nights. Membership is by invitation only, and stupidly expensive for most, given the need to pay for the uniform, dinners and breakages.  The Club’s modus operandi has often been to book a private dining room under an false name, as most restaurateurs are wary of the Club’s reputation for causing considerable drunken damage during the course of the dinners. However, it depends on the character of the membership at the time — which necessarily varies from year to year — whether the famous ‘destruction’ is an intentional act of wanton vandalism or a side-effect of drinking prodigious quantities over a lengthy period of time.  Members are well known to trash a restaurant and then pay cash for damages, plus extra, when leaving.

Labour’s goal is to portray Cameron as elitist.  A toff with a silver spoon in his mouth.  Aloof.  Out of touch with the ordinary man & woman on the street.  The Bullingdon Club is one way to do this, hence the photo of Cameron and Boris in penguin suits, looking arrogant and elitist is like political dynamite to them.  Our future Prime Minister and current Mayor of London in sleek, expensive dinner jackets, (fyi Bullingdon members dress for their annual Club dinner in specially made traditional tailcoats in Oxford blue offset with ivory silk lapel revers, brass monogrammed buttons, a mustard waistcoat, and a sky blue bow tie. There is also a Club tie, which is sky blue striped with ivory. These are all provided by the Oxford branch of court tailors Ede and Ravenscroft. The full uniform costs around £3,500), positioned in strong ‘elitist’ poses, Boris sitting on the step looking straight into the eyes of the camera and David, looking wistfully into the distance.  After this group pose, reports regale the press of a wild night out on the town with damage to an expensive restaurant.  Boris was caught by the Police after smashing a window with a plant pot, (and spent a night in the cells).  No information comes to light of any high jinks that Cameron got up to, (he apparently went home early).  Channel 4 considered it such public interest entertainment that they created and funded a tv version of their antics viewable HERE  (If you want to see the original Bullingdon photos of Cameron, Boris and one with George Osborne, Google Search images of the ‘Bullingdon Club’).

David Cameron (Johnny Sweet), top, second left, and Boris (Christian Brassington) in More 4’s docudrama about their Oxford days

Frankly who gives a damn apart from those people who oppose those who have been priviledged to have generated and passed on wealth to their children.

My defence of the Bullingdon Club comes not because I have been a member, (far from it as I am the classic product of a working class family, moving on up through an average state school).  But neither am I jealous of those who have created or enjoyed wealth.  Consider this.  If you won the lottery today or built a business that was worth millions, would you seek to look after your children’s future, as well as building on your wealth?  In most cases yes you would.  So if you could provide your children the best in education, which is generally what all parents want, where are the best institutions?  Most would say Eton School and of course then Oxford and Cambridge University.  These choices are perceived by many as the ultimate goal for their children’s education.  Yet many feel the need to criticise those who can afford to go there, (whilst hypocritically they would do the same if they had that money).

This silly argument came up on BBC Question Time last week.  Yvette Cooper snapping at the heels of George Osborne.  Quite rightly he retorted, why should he be embarrassed by the success of his father in building a business, employing lots of people and yes, making money, (the whole point of business).  Success it appears breeds contempt.  It breeds jealously.  Yet many crave to be in this position yet condemn others if they cant have it.

Let’s tackle the high jinks that the Bullingdon Club got up to.  Those casting their stones at David, Boris and George should consider that most people have done things they regret in life.  University days, not just at Oxford or Cambridge, see many wild nights, with students, (yes future business leaders, politicians and …. parents), doing things that are unacceptable and they later regret.  That is part of growing up.  Learning through experiences and mistakes you make.   Go to any University town in freshers week and there will be shenanigans that turn your hair grey.  Critics say that this is all a question of a persons core ethics, their ‘character’, ‘their upbringing’, ‘their suitability to hold public office’, hence we should have the right, of a future leader to know everything.  Frankly….silly, childish student day pranks do not matter.  What matters is how a person intends to lead. What will they do for the poorest in society?  How will they create and spread wealth?  Can they create jobs?  How will they improve our schools, our roads, our hospitals, our national defences, our position in the world?  All this matters to people, not whether someone was a member of the Bullingdon Club.  Not whether they smoked canabis at school!  Not if they have got drunk and jumped into a river on freshers week!  If they commiteed a heinous crime, yes we have a right to know.  Did people decide they would not vote for the Mayor because when he was young he was merry and threw a plant pot throw a window?  Of course not.

But it is too much to hope for debates on issues by Labour.  They will use this old brush to try and sweep Cameron away from reaching Downing Street.  It will backfire on them and make them look the childish politicians they are.  And of course, their ‘greatest leader’ of recent times enjoyed himself at University as well. Tony Blair had his wild side……

‘Boys will be boys’….’students will be students’!

As John McCarthy says: ‘An excessive knowledge of Marxism is a sign of a misspent youth’.

A young Tony Blair in his underpants played by actor, Christian Brassington (NB he plays Boris above!)