Monday 16 February 2004

Once upon a time

Unknown @ Monday, February 16, 2004
Long ago in the mists of time, there was a leadership battle for the Labour Party. The two challengers were Bryan Gould and the late John Smith. If things had worked out, Bryan Gould could have been Prime Minister instead of Vice Chancellor at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. Of course things didn't work out, John Smith won, and the rest is history.

One of the main reasons why Bryan Gould lost the leadership contest was his proposed alternative to the Poll Tax, a proposal deemed "electoral poison" by John Smith, and a dead cert election loser.

So what was this horrid policy?

At its simplest, Bryan Gould proposed funding local councils via a combination of property based taxation and a local income tax.

Electoral poison eh.

How things change.

I bet John Smith is spinning in his grave. And Bryan Gould is probably laughing his socks of at Nick Raynsford, whilst quaffing a fine New Zealand white.

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