Finance (No. 4) Bill

Debate between Alison McGovern and Owen Smith

Wednesday 18th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Owen Smith]

I have absolutely no confidence whatever. My hon. Friend’s point goes to the heart of the dodgy economics in the dodgy dossier. The figure of £100 million is entirely predicated on the assumption that there will almost be a net offset of the £3 billion static loss as a result of the change to the 50p rate, through people deciding to work harder, save less, take their income in the current year, and hide their income less. Those are the behavioural changes that the Government are assuming will take place, but there is no real evidence base for the change. It is fundamentally dodgy.

[Alison McGovern (Wirral South) (Lab)]

Does my hon. Friend agree that we are debating the difference between those of us who do our economics using evidence and those on the Government Benches who do it using spurious theory? We should all be responsible; we should look at the evidence and report that evidence. That is why it is important that the Prime Minister should return to the House to correct the record.

The Economy

Debate between Alison McGovern and Owen Smith

Wednesday 22nd June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Owen Smith]

rose—

[Alison McGovern]

rose—