Political opinion with John Milne MP: A tax on charities is the last thing we need
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There are so many issues I would have liked to ask about, but I decided to focus on the issue with the biggest impact on the economy. And that is the hike in the Employer’s National Insurance rate. Astonishingly, the government is pushing ahead with this bizarre policy, whereby they intend to tax public services to pay for an improvement in public services. Spot the fatal flaw in that one.
For Horsham District Council, the tax could mean an extra bill of perhaps half a million pounds. A promised increase in local government funding will cover some of that - but that was supposed to be new money for new services.
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Hide AdFor charities like St Catherine’s Hospice the situation is even worse. They have to pay the tax, but will receive no increase in funding at all. I regret to say that the Prime Minister offered no hint of a solution in his reply.


When this tax was first announced I just assumed it was an oversight. Surely they’d find a way to exempt public services. But the months have gone by and there’s no sign of a compromise. Vital services are set to be destroyed by the very tax that’s supposed to save them.
For businesses, this policy is already dragging down the economy. But for public services and charities it’s an outright disaster. I’ve always accepted that, given the damage that has been done by the last government, it would be impossible to repair public services overnight. But I never expected the new government to make things actively worse!
On a happier note, I was honoured to be invited to a special reception at Buckingham Palace for newly elected MPs. A record number of seats changed hands this year so it was quite an occasion. It was an honour to shake the King’s hand and I’m sure that all of us, whatever party we represent, are conscious of our responsibility.