The Science of Politics

Few will disagree that the British taxpayer pays too much tax. As Maurice Saatchi reminds us in this trenchant book, the proportion of taxes we pay is the equivalent of nearly five months working for the government each year before the money we earn is ours. We need an Independence Day, he says, when citizens stop working for the government and start working for themselves. When New Labour was elected three years ago Independence Day fell on May 25. In the year 2000, the tax burden reached [GBP]350 billion, equivalent to 38% of Gross Domestic Product and Independence Day fell on May 30. This year it will be in June. Without citizens losing any benefits Saatchi demonstrates how the UK tax burden could be reduced to around 33% of GDP, the first step towards hauling forward Independence Day by the equivalent of five weeks, to where it was in the early 1950s. Saatchi proposes that Independence Day each year should be declared a national holiday. It should be a benchmark symbol, so that voters will be able to assess: 'Are we going forwards or backwards?' It is time, says Saatchi in this brilliant manifesto for a new 'Conservative Century', for 'a declaration of war.
The war of independence.'