Write to letters@thetimes.co.ukSir, It’s difficult to explain the prime minister’s justification of VAT on private schools except in terms of wilful ignorance of very recent history (“VAT on private schools will help middle class, Starmer says”, Dec 31). Even the most openly socialist economies have never achieved their holy grail of improvements for all by destroying private enterprise. So on what grounds can anyone rationally believe that increased taxes on private schools and on employers, and entirely new taxes on the capital value of farms, businesses and pensions, will produce a different result in the UK? Breaking the private sector linkages between aspiration, reward and self-sufficiency can only reduce growth, reduce the tax take and cause public sector spending to spiral.

Source: The Times January 01, 2025 00:04 UTC