'For years politicians have bought votes by promising tax cuts. It's time to face reality'

Big Issue readers wrote in with their thoughts on income tax, school holidays, literacy in prisons and TV show The Experiment.

Brass tax

For years politicians have told us we can have a first-class health, social care and education system, effective defence, good quality affordable housing and at the same time they were looking to buy votes by cutting taxes.

We are now, for many reasons, at the point where it’s time to face reality. As a country we are in debt up to our necks. Services have been cut to the bone. For every £100 we pay in tax, £10 goes straight out in debt repayments. So the reality is income tax must go up. 

Now, with Trump’s war in the Middle East, no improvement in health care, education, defence spending, never mind a plan for social care, we need to be prepared for real pain. 

That’s got to start with an increase of 3p on the basic rate of tax. Reform of self-employed National Insurance contributions is long overdue. Couple this with an increase in the nil-rate band, and a more creative tiered tax system, and we may just be able to start a recovery. 

J Walsh

Responses to: Lee Child, prison laureate

Yes! Some of the best work I’ve read and heard has been from prisoners.

Richard O’Neill, Facebook

Thanks, Lee Child, for this work. 

EJ Beaumont, Facebook

I wonder how many people in prison have dyslexia or undiagnosed or otherwise unsupported neurodivergence?

Philippa Hammond, Facebook

A very high percentage as I recall…over 60% I believe!

Catherine Louise, Facebook

An amazing author.

Lana McGonigle, Facebook

Responses to: Mat Fraser, The Experiment

Brilliant, brilliant (and horrific) show. Those scenes with all the names on the wall will stay with me forever. Being and staying “polite” has a lot to answer for in the face of horror. It was the apathy and acceptance that got me. 

abbot.sally, Instagram

I found The Experiment incredibly difficult to watch, I felt physically sick at times. The things I found most terrifying about it were: seeing how easy it was for people to be convinced by propaganda (which isn’t a new thing); seeing how easily fooled people were into thinking something is a ‘good/positive’ thing based solely upon how the selling points are presented; and seeing how many people accepted what they were being told without actually thinking things through. And the reason these things are so terrifying is that, with the current political climate of overwhelming negativity and hostility towards people with disabilities, there are people who could potentially buy into such horrific beliefs and ‘solutions’.

courageous.clair, Instagram 

The Fletch stretch

The article about sitcoms that got turned into movies [Issue 1740] does not mention the best movie of this type. Which is somewhat ironic in an issue devoted to prisons. Prison movies are invariably about prison breaks. So when Porridge was made into a movie this is what it had to be about. The joke however is that Fletch and Godber don’t have to break out, they have to break back in. Classic!

Stephen Tollyfield, Alfreton

Give us a break

Joanne Barker-Marsh’s opinion piece, is right that family holidays should not be a luxury. However, one reason many low-income families miss out is the huge difference in cost between travelling during school holidays and term time.

Education and regular school attendance are vital to a child’s future, but we should also recognise the importance of family experiences. For many families, a term-time holiday is the only affordable option, yet parents risk fines for taking their children out of school. We should ask whether the current policy strikes the right balance. For some families, the choice is not between a term-time holiday and a school-holiday holiday – it is between a term-time holiday and no holiday at all.

James Dewey, Nottingham

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

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