, Guest Columnist
Labour Is Missing a Trick on Raising Taxes
Devolving taxation ought to have one particular attraction for the government.
Think about the benefits.
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Stagnant growth, rising debt costs and a handcuffing manifesto mean UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has limited room for maneuver. Public services and the welfare system are crying out for extra funding, but the Treasury is demanding further savings.
There's no magic answer to the yawning funding gaps facing England’s public services. But there is something Labour can do that both fits within its fiscal rules and manifesto pledges and could address the visible local decay: The government can give more tax-setting powers to councils.