Households and businesses will have to pay a £6-a-year tax per landline telephone under proposals to extend internet access across the country.Well, in that case, I don’t need a landline, do I?
I have a mobile…
The cost of a television licence will also go up £9 to £151.50 in 2012 when most of the increase will be diverted to support regional news on ITV, the first time licence fee cash has been offered to a broadcaster other than the BBC.So, having realised that the TV tax is iniquitous, the answer is not to cut it off, but to increase the size of the trough and the number of snouts in it?
Nearly everyone would have access to fast internet access at work and home within eight years but the Tories criticised the levies. Jeremy Hunt, their culture spokesman, said: “The cable revolution happened without a cable tax; the satellite revolution happened without a satellite tax.”Quite.
And since when was it a ‘right’ to have broadband? Is Mad Gordo worried there are people in Soggy Bottom, Shropshire or Ram’s Tackle, Cornwall, who are missing the chance to see his gurning mug on YouTube?
Lord Carter believes its development would help to give the country an alternative economic base to banking and finance.Hmm, really?
He believes the plan is honest with the public about the cost and that the cash will help to encourage about three times the amount of private money for each pound raised from public funds. However, with the cost of extending broadband so uncertain, he admitted that “if it’s not enough, we’ll keep the levy going for long, or we’ll raise the sum” .
I remember all those toll roads and bridges that were promised as free once costs had been covered?
Yeah, it’ll be just like that…
6 comments:
Is your Tory voice of reason by any chance the same Jeremy Hunt who put in an expenses claim for 1p for a phone call?
Just wondering.
http://plato-says.blogspot.com/2009/06/best-expense-claim-1p-phone-call.html
Why is it Tory to care where my taxes go?
This stone is sick of people trying to get blood out of it.
If it was a true utility then maybe I'd agree but where's the proof everyone needs BB?
I am glad I am not the only one who saw this idea and went "WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!".
People choose to live in rural idylls, why should everyone else subsidise their existence? Do I expect fresh country air to be piped into my urban home at someone else's expense? If people want broadband they can pay for it themselves.
Shocking stuff. Why should I pay for other people to get faster broadband? It's expensive enough for me as it is!!!!
On a (possibly) related matter - BT has promoted the well-known parasite, Patricia Hewitt, to "senior independent director". I had forgotten this inspired BT appointment to its board of last March and will now take steps to change my telecoms provider: I hope I will be one of many ex-BT subscribers.
"...an expenses claim for 1p for a phone call?"
Gah! Now, that's just barefaced cheek!
"This stone is sick of people trying to get blood out of it."
Amen!
"If people want broadband they can pay for it themselves."
Like LfaT, I do. It would never occur to me to think I should be subsidised. What next, I have to subsidise the chavs who don't have widescreen tvs and Sky or cable?
If there are any, that is...
"BT has promoted the well-known parasite, Patricia Hewitt, to "senior independent director"."
*sigh*
And here I thought the 1p telecall expenses claim was going to be the worst thing I read today...
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