As a single, higher rate taxpayer who is overseas half of the year I think I put far more in to the system than I get out if it already. Judging from some of the comments here however the £100k I pay to fund your healthcare and educate your children is not enough. Now, who's being greedy?

Paul, Weybridge, UK

How depressing that people spend their energy fighting over money. You can't take it with you, you know.
I thought Robin Hood was a hero for robbing the rich to feed the poor? And by the way, you think someone who earns 18k a year doesn't work hard? Get a grip.

sarah, london, UK

Agreed, me and my friends who fall into this bracket are mainly looking at Switzerland right now, so rather than getting an extra 5%, he's getting a big round 0 - far more than deserved. This last insight into modern economics is the straw that broke camelsback - well done gordo.

Seth, London,

Just wondering where the services business owner would be without those people, earning less than he does, who are buying his services? If he would rather see them fail and his business fail, than pay a larger percentage on the top slice of his income, then he's a braver fool than I.

Cate, Melbourne, Australia

So pleased to have moved to Monte Carlo. This government are a joke and won't get a penny of my money.

Most people with high incomes work, or have worked, hard for it. Why should it be taken from them and given to people with less intellect and / or initiative? I don't get it and won't be paying.

Nick, Monaco, MC

I have worked hard and I have studied hard to reach where I am today. I believe in a safety net for those who can't work & in contributing to society but I am now being penalised for my success.I will not continue to work hard to give away half my income for those who are too lazy too work.

Sunny, Kenton,

Unfortunately I am one of those people who earn significantly more than the £150k pa. I did not inherit it and I am not a banker. I own my own services business. If we were all in it together fair enough but at 45% I will pay my corporation & personal tax to someone else!!

Jeff, hampshire, Hampshire

So if you work hard and increase your earnings by making sacrifices in your life to get your earnings over 50,000 you then have to pay it all back so that folk who can't be bothered going out to work can live off you! And if you are the only earning in the family with 4 kids? ill-founded statement

Adrienne, Glasgow,

We need to focus on what the extra revenue HMRC will be reaping will be put towards. If the 5% tax increase in top wage earners gets spent creating bureaucratic positions in local governments, what value is anyone getting out of this..apart from the pencil pushers who score the cushy jobs for life!

Mal, London, London

If higher tax rates send a lot of senior bankers to other countries, excellent! They may work 100 hours a week but do they add any value to our society? Clearly not, at least not a positive number. We need to realign our wealth generation process away from wasting activities like financial services.

Colin, shrewsbury,

The 'high earning talent' who were threatening to go overseas last year have decided to stay in the UK because the unemployment benefit is higher.

Glen, Melbourne,

Oh dear, VAT would go back up again before the recovery gains momentum thus damaging it. A serious miscalculation of the length and depth of recession, so that will probably be a policy reverse in a year's time.

As for policies designed for after the next election....they are irrelevant.

Paul Freeman, London, England

Lucy, London - completely agree with you. Why should success be penalised? We have done more for this economy than the avg person yet we are the ones to be punished. I've already paid my dues and then some. Luckily for us there is a queue of other countries to welcome our wealth at times like these.

mr hossein, London, UK

"The usual ultra-left nonsense." -

James E. Petts, Burnham, England

You must be ultra-right to describe a 45% tax on those earning above a whopping £150,000 as "ultra-left"!

Matthew Cousins, Sutton, UK

Good move: encourage more indebtness and consumer spending, discourage people from working harder. The future is safe in the hands of labour!

manav, London, UK

A very good idea from Brown. I cannot see that any human being needs, or indeed is worth, more that GBP2000 each week. A 50% tax on everybody earning above this level would be very fair.There are many people in our country who are grossly overpaid eg doctors, dentists, consultants, lawyers, police.

Michael john Beesley, Worthing, England

Should have gone to 50% over £50,000 , If some people are so feckless that they can't easily make ends meet on 50k they deserve to suffer a tax increase.

Gordon Pye, Clitheroe, England

Isn't it nice of GB to give us our own money to save for the big, big tax hikes?

Like all nulabour moves, there's more to it than first appears, I'm sure.

I'm no economist, but mum always said "you don't get owt for nowt"!

Martyn Taylor, Swindon, England

Brain drain argument is obselete - we need greedy rich people here like the plague. In public services, NHS, education, academia, research, technology etc if staff are conscientious, adequately paid & motivated by the work itself they'll move this country forward with no need for overpaid fatcats.

McGinty, Glasgow, UK

We need to get public spending under control, Brown has said he will spend more health and education.

This means he will put more money into 2 black holes. For all the billions spent on the NHS, it has just come 13th in the European Healthcare survey. Ordinary people will not benefit!

Graham, St Albans, uk

i don't expect to get any sympathy but as someone who gambled his house to setup a small business and earn a decent wage (by no means guaranteed) I get really angry with this "persecute the rich" attitude. Luckily it's really easy to relocate an e-business so I am now leaving for somewhere warmer.

Dave M, Bristol, UK

Insanity. It is a simple and well known fact that increasing marginal rates of income tax actually reduces overall tax revenues through disincentive and entrepreneurial migration. This is the politics of envy, nothing more.

Chris Morris, Jersey, UK

10 years too late but a vote winner at least, sadly its too small and the bracket set too low.

First thing they have done right this year.

Peter, Aldershot, UK

@Dave Bridge - I am not a banker or one of the "greedy rich". I don't borrow, I don't speculate and my income of over £150,000 a year has been gained by 100 hour weeks, very hard work and sacrifice. So why suddenly should I penalised by an 80% tax? or even a 45% tax? First time ever I am voting Con.

K L, London, United Kingdom

I wouldn't call a reduction of 1/7 "slashing" VAT. Although it is interesting that, amid the information released about this plan, it turns out that the government rakes in over £80 billion a year from this tax. And that's AFTER we have paid income tax, "national insurance" (another tax), etc.

Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,

I was going to vote Tory but not now. Brown is right to tax the rich more. What is the moral argument against it!

Craig, Glenorthes,

If the tax cut is not across the board it won't work there is a ton of evedence to prove that ,this is nothing other than class envy tax nothing more ,death tax should be done away with entirely. this is nothing more than class tax .Try and find a poor guy who will hire you .lot's of luck .

pomoc, oceanside , USA

He should have raised the tax threshold to genuinely help the poor and increased high end income tax even more. I will increase my own VAT cut to 100% by not buying anything at all this Christmas.

C Smith, Norwich, UK

What does the Left think these "high earners" do with their post-tax income - shove it under the bed? They'll economise on their home help, their shopping, their nights out, etc., throwing more people out of work.

Instead of raising the higher rate, they should be lowering it.

Martin, London,

Cost every family in England 10K pounds each --- this is absolutely insane. Talk about digging the hole deeper. We in the USA are destroying our economy too - so I wanted to help you. GIVE THE 10K POUNDS directly to each British Family -- maybe they know best how to spend it!! No $$ for the hotshots

Mike R in Florida, St. Petersburg, USA

TAX BOMBSHELL? More like a damp squib in a thunderstorm!

Mike O Connor, Plymouth,

VAT slash does very little for anyone and surely ppl will see that.
- 45% tax bracket, we should all be happy that for once it's not the working or middle classes that are stung. That said, there needs to be a reform of the tax threshold to represent the true reality.

Heidi, Barnsley, UK

If 45% will raise £1.2 bn then where is the other £117.8 bn that Labour are borrowing going to come from? Stealth taxes?

Ian, London, UK

Another cheap Labour trick to win votes from the masses...

I dont think the collective masses are stupid enough to fall for it.

150 k these days isnt at all obscene - I earn well under that but I see what people have to do for there 150k and the pressure they get - most deserve every penny

Noel, London,

I initially applauded the VAT cut as I feel VAT is an unfair 2nd taxation system; however I am concerned about the temporary nature of the cut. I feel it is likely that consumers will not see the full benefit of the cut - but may well be stung by excessive price increases when the rate reverts.

Rachel Prosser, Bradford, UK

Christos,

Choose carefully where you go if you decide to. Income tax is only one element; there's all the others like NIC. Just see what you could get in the private sector for same money. By the way give France a miss; top rate income tax 49% cuts in much lower than £140k and SS staggering 22%.

Ian SISLEY, Arras, France

Finland's Finance Minister has been voted the "best" in the EU. Our banks have no idiotic Sub-Prime lending, no sub to let concerns etc. Few people in England will thank me for saying it but he said like M Thatcher when times get tough tighten the belt don't spend what you haven't got! Brown NB!

John, Kouvola, Finland

It's impossible to squeeze into 300 characters the many disastrous policies that GB has pursued since 1997. Still, 45% tax may be the worst. I don't earn £150k yet, but I intend to work hard enough so that one day I may -- and when that day comes, I'm not giving half of it away. So I'm off!

Christos Shepherd, London, UK

And the increased tax we will all pay (the new 45% rate is just what Brown and cronies are admitting to) provides what in return? A big fat ZERO. No better services, just balancing the books- these taxes will never come down under Labour.

Brown is about tax, with no return - Labour "Fairness"

Peter, London,

That would be a Gordon Brown Tax cut. He says it kicks in at £150k, can we trust him to stick to this? or do we find that by next year he says he actually meant £50k, and by the way, lets have a few more tax brackets between the 20% and 40% band.

You simply can't trust the Labour Party

Peter, London,

When we study the history of tax we can conclude it is fraud. It is stealing from people. The real target is the bankers not the government, this is just a victim of bankers.

Giancarlo, London, England

Wow, Labour policies that can actually (if one is generous) be interpreted as left wing! Amazing!

The "fat cat" moralizing makes me uneasy, but shifting the money to those who will certainly spend it makes a lot of sense to me

Peter Larsson, London, UK

What will be the impact of a VAT reduction on prices ?

Food is zero rated so no impact there.

Will retailers of non food goods remark all their prices to reflect the reduction?

I think not they are more likely to try to compensate eroding margins.

Stuart, London,

James, I am thinking exactly the same.

suzanne, London,

My only hope is that this party that has ruined the public finances will not win the next election and hence this idiotic tax increase will never materialise.

Karo, London,

Labour have totally lost me. I will not vote for a party that makes promisses (sometimes even in their manifesto!!) and then does u-turns; I will not vote for a party that looks like it's completely forgotten that it does not govern this country by god-given right.

Dave, Chesham,

Let's all move to Dubai. No (or very low) taxes. Great weather. Great jobs. Great fun parks. Great healthcare. Easy to get to Europe. And best of all, no Gordon Brown!

Rahul, London,

It's all right for David Cameron who is one of the richest people in the UK to preach that we will have to pay it back later, perhaps he and his ever so rich friends will volunteer to pay the correct amount of taxes from all their wealth to help the poor in their hour of need, perhaps not.

william thomson, lincoln, uk

Kate in Newcastle - do you think you would be better off if you had children to get benefits for? It may surprise you to find that having children is not profitable. Parents who make the time and effort to bring up their children well are also doing society a favour.

Jane, Sheffield,

Oh, thats really a good way to boost the economy. Tax high earners even higher, when they will be the only ones with any real money to spend during a recession. Its all a mass of contradictions from these economic incompetents called Brown and Darling

Chris, Woodbridge, England

For those of us, and there are many, who have survived the vagaries of the country/ world economy over preceeding decades without such far reaching governmental interference there is a lack of comprehension as to why we all have to be nanny-ed in this way. This is simply vote buying.

MHJPS, Harrogate, England

Sure.Squeeze the people who do well for themselves,who don't want anything from the state,who paid for their houses,send their kids to private schools,have private health insurance and pensions,and give it to those who never worked,who are all their lives on social benefits..Like baby P's parents...

Lucy, London,

When is your PM going to have the guts to take it on the chin for his financial mistakes? More importantly, how much longer are the Great British public going to put up with Gordon Brown and the culture of dishonsesty that is now embeded in the Labour Government. Sad to see the UK imploding.

Ian, Singapore,

I will emigrate to the UK. I pay 52% now on everything up from € 59.000,-.

Lex, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Looks like the accountants going to be popular again. Not a chance will this even cover the cost of carrying out the change. Anyone earning that level will either work out a way around it or not draw it, those that don't just emigrate anyway. Low tax=high yield. Last one out turrn off the lights.

Adam Kent, Solihull, UK

I will not pay 45% for Gordon Brown's massive and worthless spending spree. I will not pay unfair prices for gas, electricity and rail fares. I will take my earnings power out of the UK by voting with my feet. Don't be too shocked when you see global corporations follow me.

Jim A, Guildford,

Welcome to the OLD labour party of tax and spend.
Once again they have destroyed the economy and we know they can't be trusted to run anything.
"Would the last one to leave please turn out the lights."

James, London, UK

We should not forget who got us here (apart from the Banks and Financial Institutions). Who destroyed our Pension Funds; sold our Gold Reserves; let Rover go to the Wall when he could have done more? Could that be the 'Man who would be seen as a Saviour' - Dear Gordon & Co. plc?

Barrie S, West Midlands, UK

Won't the 2,5% VAT reduction just get "swallowed up" by retailers? e.g £8.50p net plus VAT at 17.5% is approx £9.99. When you apply 15% it's £9.77. Firstly will the 22p discount make a difference whether you purchase or not, secondly will the retailer really bother to re-price everything?

Kevin, croydon,

To all those blaming the fat cats and bankers, are you aware that UK PLC has higher credit card debt than the whole of europe combined. The "I want it now culture" built on browns credit fuelled boom is to blame. Could see it coming four years ago and the government did nothing.

Chris, Leeds, UK

The reason people want to live in the UK has never been because of low tax. People want to live here because they feel it is an exciting place to live. If tax came into it, the rich would all live in Dubai or Monte Carlo - some of them do and they are all BORED out of their minds!

anthony, berlin, germany

High earners are the people best placed to avoid paying this increase. 2% off taxed goods, a tax rebate which will be used to pay down debts, save or spend on foreign imports?

This giveaway is a desperate last throw of the dice for a government staring at 20 years in the wilderness.

Geoff Miller, Brittany,, France

The 45% rate is designed purely to fool low and middle earners into thinking that the rich, not them , will end up paying for the electoral bribe, sorry I mean fiscal stimulus. Of course the 'have it now' generation will fall for it.

Kevin, Leeds,

In the real world the rich move very quickly and have mostly left including your favourite foorballer. Those who have heard of the Caimans and neatherlands antillies will fondly reaon this is the way to go. But Margaret Thatcher proved reduice taxes to increase taxes. Read about the Lafvre Curve.

John, Bagshot, UK

Increasing income-tax on the high earners has always been a moot point as to its efficacy and of course fairness, but reducing VAT to15% now will not increase demand that significantly. Businesses want a much larger decrease and consumers will not be affected without a significant drop to say 10%.

Rodney S. Barker, Gainsborough, l

what about reducing certain 'benefit payments' instead and leaving the people who work and earn their money alone.

Annette, South Yorkshire, England

"Slashes VAT" is a bit over the top. Now that £100 item will be £97.50........ can't see that doing much to stimulate spending.

Al, Glasgow,

A leopard doesn't change it's spots, tax and spend is part of Labours very DNA. From this moment New Labour is dead.
No amount of spin can now disguise this. No amount of weasel words can hide the damage they've done.

Paul, East Sheen,

Look at the numbers - the new rate will only raise £1.2bn. The VAT cut alone will cost over £12bn. So the new tax rate raises little new money but will drive talent and spending power abroad. With this sort of black hole, expect tax rises for rest of population.

Jakob, London, UK

High earners will find some way to avoid paying the higher level of tax.

Phil, Watford,

Here we go,back to the politics of envy.If you tax the entrepreneurs that are the ones taking risks with their own money to create jobs, they will leave.
To those complaining they earn so little.Why not work two or three jobs?Why not retrain yourself so you can get a better job?
Stop moaning!

James, London, U.K

MIght have been the 'greedy rich that caused this' but it's the greedy poor who have themselves to blame. Getting credit you'll never be able to pay back 'because they offered it to me' to buy yourself that new Range Rover Sport to park outside your council house..."b-b-but Jade Goody's got one.."

Chris, Newcastle, UK

Don't forget that is 45% over and above £150,000 so Gordon will only have to cough up a few quid and cab members nothing

Anthony, Wretton, UK

Tax the people that can afford to leave the country,well done Darling. Costa del Sol here I come,along with my business.

Chris, Oldham, UK

So if you work hard, and do really well for yourself, you get penalised for it to pay for the governments borrowing bill.
Gosh, thats why this country is so full of self motivated high achievers.

AM, London, UK

I would never have guessed so many Times readers are fundamentally jealous. Why can't people realize that most of those 'rich' earning £150K plus create wealth and jobs for other people. By increasing taxes for these people you penalize hard work and enterprise and ultimately damage the economy.

Chris Morris, Stoke on Trent, UK

Here we go.....a rapidly devaluing pound, no manufacturing industry to speak of, squeezing the rich until the pips squeak, borrowing heavily to sustain the unsustainable.
Gordon Brown, may I introduce Mr Harold Wilson, the last man to captain the ship as she hit the rocks. Time for a change folks...

louise, bromley,

To pay 45p Tax out of every Pound you earn - albeit over £150k - is obscene. Government spending on these levels is immoral and will never provide value for money.

Richard Lomax, Chester, UK

Unbelievable! I came to the UK from France to escape the ultra left thinking, and here we are... Look at France M. Darling: no wealthy people, hence a bankrupt country!!! What a waste. cut on you r spending and divide your salary, you'll be closer to your "people".

Julie , London, City,

Good move & if taxes need to go up later on so be. Your view on this will depend on if you are selfish and greedy and vote Tory or beleive in a fairer equal society. I know where my vote is going - do not let Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne near No.10 for the sake of this country.

Spencer, Tamworth,

So Mr Darling suggesting that the Conservatives are saying "that unemployement is a price worth paying" is a bit rich coming from the men who have sold hbos down the river with the resultant job losses which will ensure.

Amanda, Edinburgh, UK

The 'one off' National insurance increase included an uncapped 1% so actually higher rate tax is currently 41% and will now rise to be 46% by these proposals.

National Insurance is just a more politically acceptable name for tax.

paul p, dunstable,

Does the Chancellor really believe that the VAT reductions will be passed on to the consumer? He obviously has more faith in our supermarkets than he does the banks who have delayed the 1.5% interest rate reduction. There are better ways of giving money to the less wealthy UK consumer.

Andrew, London,

I would like to see an overhaul of the tax thresholds so they are more in touch with reality (and the poverty line). Something like the following:
£0-15k - 0% tax
£15,001 - 40k 20% tax
£40-100k 40%
£100k upwards 45%

This would also give lower income earners more money to spend.

Ryan Chaney, London,

The official rate of income tax on very high 'earnings' is 40%. The real rate is 0% because of tax evasion. Will raising the official rate have any effect on the real rate? Or is this just another phoney political stunt?

Adam Addis, Lancaster, UK

Increasing tax for some to 45% is meaningless, he will increase nat ins contributions to 12% and say it is a 1% increase which it is not it is a 9% increase, the yield is much greater as everyone pays it but it spins better

Pete, Barry, Wales

New Labour.....Old tricks. Those boys are finally showing their true colours. The sooner they are voted out the better. When they came into power 11 years ago, the country had one of the smallest taxation regimes in Europe, now it will be one of the highest....enough said.

Joaquin Perez, Malaga, Spain

Tired ideas from a tired Government.Time for a change and get shot of these poor thinking Ministers-Brown,Darling and Mandelson-It's staggering to think these are still in charge!

Philip, Braintree,

So the goverment are resorting to "LEGALISED ROBBERY" thats the top and bottom of it !!!!!.

KEN SANTI, SEDGEFIELD, DURHAM

Mr Brown comments he does not see a massive raise in borrowing as a gamble. The government have already gambled and lost. The government gambled that a credit boom funded in part by overseas creditors would last forever.

Get ready for spending cuts and tax increases; someone has to pay.

Costas, Cyprus,

Russia has had a "stability" fund for years - money put aside for the bad times. Here, nothing was done in good times.
As for 45% tax - what's £1.2 billion, when set against £210 billion borrowed over just 2 years? Surely, the lower-paid will suffer as well if we are to pay such a huge sum back?

David Fergus, Burnley, UK

5% from £150k is tokenism and doesn't raise sufficient revenue.

Given the polarisation of wealth in the UK 5% from £100k and 10% from £200k is much more appropriate.

martin, winchester, hants

I'll be off to Dubai. Too much of my taxes spent on jobsworths and single mother child factories as it is.

james, London,

45% income tax, plus 15% VAT plus 5% council tax, plus other sneaky taxes and you end up with only like 20p out of each £1 you earn! I am not sure if this will win you any votes!!!

Tanya, London,

Why not £100,000? For someone like me earning less than 18,000 pa with a home to run, bills to pay and no kids to get benefits for £100,000 is a hell of a lot of money.

Kate, Newcastle, England

I wonder if he will increase the tax on bonus payments as well. Otherwise top earners will pay themselves £149.99 and the rest as a bonus attracting only 40%
In extremis the true nature of Labor is finally exposed. This isn't a vote winner.

Rex Lester, Surbiton, UK

Instead of a 45% tax on the rich, risking a rush offshore, why not reduce the fat public sector, and redeploy some of them in the productive sectors through generous tax breaks for companies that hire them? Not popular among the client state, but NuLab will lose the next election anyway.

Alan, Singapore,

£150,000 is not an obscene amount of money. It punishes those who didn't even cause this financial mess as well as those that did.

Chris A, London,

Anyone else glad that Ian Bryan, Reading isn't in charge of the budget?

Mr Petrie, Aberdeen,

Att the same time as increasing tax close the loopholes that allow tax avoidance schemes to flourish. High earners have gained most from our country. They may have worked hard, but so have many people paid much less than £150000 pa. If they want to flee overseas let them go -few are indispensible.

Hannah James, Cambridge, UK

I thought we already paid 90% tax? 30% on earnings leaves 70%. VAT on everything leaves 55%. Companies pay taxes so down to 50%. Need a house? 45%. Heat and food? 40%. Fuel tax 40% leaves 25%. Healthcare leaves 23%. Govt debt and bank charges leaves 5%. Then they take the rest for your nursing home!

Chris, London,

A bit of sense at last! It will impact on me but I can afford it. There are many low income "working" families out there that do need help and happy for them to benefit at my expense

Having said this I am not happy for it to support waste in government at both national and local and local level.

Michael, Swindon, England

alot of people are saying its the greedy rich who have caused this. why should i then be penalised for their stupidity. i am not a fat cat or a city working but happen to be above this bracket. politicians will still claim their expenses and find a way to get out of it.

ssg, reading, uk

"Spend & Tax" takes over from "Tax & Spend". Ah, the joys of re-branding a lemon.

Neil, Galloway, Scotland

So the VAT cut will last just over a year before the rate is increased again. Will the new 45% band be equally temporary until the climate improves?

As with the vindictive doubling of the 10% tax for the poorest it is all about transferring ever greater sums of money to Labour.

Sean, Surrey, UK

The fact that so many people think that about 10% of the population should pay about 90% of the taxes, while the other 90% of the population gets 100% of the tax cuts, benefits, free health care, etc. shows exactly why the British economy is and will stay depressed.

S.C. Huldig, London,

Problem solved. Squander billions on a saving too small to change anyone's spending habits, (that Kiddie's bike will be £77.76 instead of £77.95 - we can easily afford that after all. D'oh) then claw the money back by taxing the people whose contribution drives a successful economic recovery. D'oh!

Guy Ellis, london,

Tax increase of 5%, will raise 1.2 billion Government Debt for next year alone 120 billion. That means that to claw back government excess just for the one year will take 10 year.

The again tax at 90% means it will only take a year.

Ian Bryan, Reading,

This is an excellent way of dealing with current economic pressures. It will mae this recession a lot easier. I'm worried that come 2010 that tax will be even higher. This does look like a votes winning change but a welcomed one at the minute. they need to cut public spending tho. Its out of control

Sun, Coventry,

Death tax also up to 45% then?

tvr, barnsly, uk

That would be the "talent" in the financial sector who ran their enterprises over the cliff?

Ron, Poole,

45% tax? Are you joking? How about the government cut back on spending instead? A lot of money goes to waste on nonsense wars like Iraq.

Neil, London,

I don't agree at all with Labour's reckless spending but increased taxes for those who earn obscene amounts of money is very welcome

Dan, Winchester, England

Is he trying to fix the economy or win votes?

Howard, Cambridge,

As someone who has learnt the hard way to be a little wiser with money and who always puts little aside for emergencies, I feel there is a great deal in the Tory charge that Labour were criminally negligent by not preparing for a downturn when things were good.

patrick powell, st breward, uk

How about heavily taxing the banks, say 50% for putting this country in trouble in the 1st place, this way they can return money to the taxpayers.

IS, bham, UK

Why not increase VAT to 20% after the recession - i.e. use the area you cut to fund it later? Another tax on people who earn anything more than a cab minister. Can't wait to see the other measures for those who lived the dream on borrowed money while many responsible people looked stupid saving

bob, NYC,

Phew! just read this in detail... thank god, none of it will work! means we will still be in a recession whenever GB decides to hold an election. Come on Torys!! and I dont say this just because of personal finance, look at the details.. labour has wasted the golden years and is continuing to do so

manav, London, UK

An extra 5% over £150k. Great idea but 11 years too late.

Michael, West Midlands,

Great move by Brown. It's about time the system was more progressive.

James, Manchester, UK

i see its just above the salary for cabinet ministers of £138,724 so they will not have to pay the increase in tax, although will teh prime minster now be paying 45% tax on his £189,994.

I have to ask why choose £150,000, why not £120,000?

i bet the politicians find a way of getting out of it...

jay, york, yorkshire

The usual ultra-left nonsense.

James E. Petts, Burnham, England

So this is the tax bombshell that Gordon Brown said wasn't coming?

James E. Petts, Burnham, England

Not enough it should be increased to 80% after all it was the greedy rich that caused all this.

Dave Bridge, Southport, UK

We don't need a cut in the growth of public spending - we need a cut in the current level of public spending.

Martin, Newmarket, Suffolk

High earners! hahaha. I couldn't laugh lauder. Are the super rich included among the high earners? hahahahaha

Fabio C, London, UK

Big "if" here - that's IF this government wins the next election.

That's only going to happen if the voters forget who got us into this mess in the first place.

Oh, that's Mr Brown and his "doesn't matter what the problem is, let's throw taxpayers' cash at it" approach.

Clive, Surrey,

So no-one in this government remembers about top earners simply going abroad when their tax is raised. It just drives the talent overseas, and won't even raise £1.2 bn anyway.

Nigel Robertson, Nottingham,

Another Labour con to get voters on their side. This is only the headline. The truth is more likely to be, that Labour are preparing the ground to raise income tax by 5% for all workers, after the next election. You have been warned.

Harry H, London, UK