Some sounder lines on tax are emerging at Tory Conference. At a panel on the green transition Mark Garnier, Shadow Economic Secretary to the Treasury, raised his hand when asked if stamp duty on shares should come down. He offered:
“So all friction taxes, if you think about it, are a kind of really bad idea, so stamp duty on houses is a bad idea, shares, even VAT kind of arguably a friction tax. And by the way, the fact that I support this doesn’t necessarily mean that we are making a commitment to it now.”
Straying from the line a bit there. Chance would be a fine thing…
Peter Mandelson has finally said sorry for believing Jeffrey Epstein over the paedophile’s victims. He told BBC Newsnight:
“Yesterday, I did not want to be held responsible for his crimes of which I was ignorant, not indifferent, because of the lies he told me and so many others. I was wrong to believe him following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards. I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered. I was never culpable or complicit in his crimes. Like everyone else I learned the actual truth about him after his death. But his victims did know what he was doing, their voices were not heard and I am sorry I was amongst those who believed him over them.”