‘Trickle down’ claims should be challenged

Senior Scottish minister hits out at BBC for missing key facts in tax discussion

Tom Hunter appears to be seriously mathematically challenged, which is a bit surprising given how successful he has been. I think I know what he means, but it is not what he said. Moreover, his economics are equally suspect.

The way to boost growth is to put money into the pockets of people who will spend it, and they are at the bottom end of the income distribution. This is what the Scottish Government has tried to do, though they are obviously constrained by their limited tax powers.

Sue Hawthorne

Well said Sue. Hunter is parroting the neoliberal agenda of trickle-down economics which has been shown to be untrue. Far from trickling down, wealth has been cascading upwards. Any decent piece of research shows that.

And again a BBC journalist fails to examine his claims properly.

Graham Hewitt

Tom Hunter was asked how the extra money needed could be raised without taxation and he replied by borrowing. This was accepted as a truth.

Gordon Scott

As any non-right-wing economist would point out, the UK is taxed less than many countries that have grown faster and always has been. Explain Scandanavian prosperity, for example. Tax has to be very high indeed to impact growth – it is, after all, quickly recycled into the economy as public spending. And those who are highly taxed were just going to spend that money on luxuries, often imported, and cars and holiday homes – money that leaves the UK economy and creates jobs and growth elsewhere.

Business people should stick to accounting and stop dabbling in economics, of which they know so little.

Ben Wyvis

That’s the ticket, wheel out Farmer, Rowling, Musk et al, since having wealth bestows superior financial intelligence and wisdom in all areas of life.

Peter Macari

Michael Gove accused of whipping up ‘Islamophobic hysteria’ towards Muslims

Michael Gove compared the Good Friday Agreement to the appeasement of the Nazis in the 1930s.

There has been no lurch to the right by Michael Gove, he has always ploughed that furrow. It’s just that now his audience isn’t confined to the rabid right-wing Spectator readers who he made a career out of frothing into a rage – he has manoeuvred himself into an influential position in government.

That’s the danger. Gove isn’t out of place at Sunak’s Cabinet table. Mainstream politics in England has lurched to the right, and that includes Starmer’s New Labour.

Thom Muir