Brendan Barber is part of the super rich, ask him what his salary is ask him does he still 'broadly support' the draconian welfare reforms which will see other poor people, such as disabled claimants losing over 40 pounds a week in some cases and even more DWP harrassment .Its Trade Union bosses like Barber who have acquiesced with NL into keeping quiet about such rip off schemes like PFI and NHS privatisations etc.

on a 18k income, the tax paid is not doubled.

previously, the first 5k or so is tax free, the next 2k was taxed at 10% and the remaining 11k at 22%. so roughly 2620 paid in tax

so now 13k will be charged at the new rate of 20% so roughly 2500

try this tax calc:
 http://www.listentotaxman.com/

Typical SWP-style sensationalist claptrap. It is NOT a good thing to have the tax rate gradually changed in favour of those at the upper end of the wealth spectrum, but at least make coherent arguments and focus on the causes not the absolutely marginal issues (for which one dealt with leaves many others unchallenged).

While the tax system is rubbish, and as far as actually having one, a more progressive one would start by dealing with the massive amount of offshoring/corporate tax evasion which is where the rich really have their money. I say abolish the gov and taxes!

Good points
It's funny who's been / is protesting about wages too. Greedy state operatives like Guardian-reading teachers and social workers. These mutherfuckers should try poverty sometime instead of discriminating against poor children in ttheir classrooms and supporting a grant allocating scheme that is racist and classist. Oh we do like to mark up those middle class kids. Been a long history of trot/Labour activists fucking around with education. Just like the TU.'s were compomised by the security services - mustn't forget the T and G and their support of the dockers ( not ) and the knighting of Sir Bill. Any activists here work for these unions? I am disppointed by the middle class makeup of a lot ofg the Indy posters and politcal protestors. Are they after NGO jobs?

"These mutherfuckers should try poverty sometime instead of discriminating against poor children in ttheir classrooms and supporting a grant allocating scheme that is racist and classist. "

What a horrible perspective. Such dogmatic generalisation pisses on those of us who work ultra-hard to push against the constraints of the 'system' from within the classroom walls. Please consider the fact that 'Greedy state operatives' such as teachers and social workers might actually have relative agency to resist in their roles, and in-fact, have the power to effect lives in ways people like you, who like to type-cast everyone as an enemy, will never understand from the confines of your factions, cliques and computer screens.

does this not make a bit of a mockery of ideas of geting people of benifitss andback to work? it is allready a step down finacialy in most cases to take a minimum wage job, if moving form housing benifit,council tax benifit, JSA what ever. now it iseven harder as the jobs pay even less now? barmy. well as the people who will suffer the most are the single ,probably white(as they allready earn the leaset), male's. What the matter does the goverment not want these people in work? whatabout all the talk of benmifit scrougers? If we have a war we might need connon foder, do you think this is the idea? keep them out of work, untill the draft? i'm probably insane but you never know. Allso isent that a perfect demografic for a revolution? there just calling out for some idealised middle class leader to throw over the state :) soory about the spelling