France's new Socialist president owns three holiday homes in the Riviera resort of Cannes, valued at almost £1 million. It will reinforce accusations that Hollande is a “gauche caviar”, or “Left-wing caviar” — the Gallic equivalent of a champagne Socialist. As well as the spacious Paris apartment he shares with Valerie Trierweiler, Mr Hollande owns a palatial villa in Mougins, the hill-top Cannes suburb where artist Pablo Picasso used to live. It is valued by the Official Journal at 800,000 euros (£642,000), and is just a short drive from Hollande’s two flats close to the promenade in Cannes. They are priced at 230,000 euros (£185,000) and 140,000 euros (£112,000). Mr Hollande has promised to cut his pay by 30 per cent after he is officially sworn in as president next week, but he will still be on 156,000 (£125,000) a year, plus fabulous expenses and other perks. Vive Le Socialism.
All this fuss about VAT on pies. I must say, I do like my Greggs pasties. So do Labour it seems - so why don't they say they will reverse the VAT on hot snacks? Obviously because they can't have their pie and eat it !
Announcing the biggest ever rise in the tax-free allowance, an increase of £1,100 which will let people earn up to £9,200 before being taxed, the Chancellor declared: “We are in touching distance of the goal of £10,000 personal allowance that we all share.” George Osborne spared 400,000 middle class families from child benefit cuts in a move today while handing another £3.5 billion in tax cuts to working families. The chancellor said the 50 per cent top tax rate would be dropped to 45p in the pound for those earning over £150,000 from April next year. He countered with a hike in stamp duty on homes worth over £2million from five per cent to seven per cent, while, in another measure personal tax allowances were increased to £9,205, saving individuals £220 each. Mr Osborne told MPs in the Commons: “This Budget supports working families and helps those looking for work. It unashamedly backs business. And it is on the side of aspiration: those who want to do better for themselves and for ...
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