Quote Originally Posted by xsnaggle View Post
He never said his dad was on average wage, he said he was a docker. Remember that was a nationalised industry and every time they wanted more money they went on strike until the government gave in to them. Once the rail water gas etc are re-nationalised it will be just like before, overmanned with no incentive to do better and if like in the south West this month, the rail men go on strike then they will be joined by the rest of the rail men all over the country, and everything will grind to a halt until the government gives in and gives them more money and we'll be back where we started and a 3 day week.

The principle of nationalisation is fantastic but sadly the reality is the many frequently held to ransom by the few!
There's no way dockers were on the sort of wages that would put them on top rate tax in the 70s.

Taken from an article in the Daily Telegraph;-

"In 1974 the top rate of tax was raised to 83pc by the then Chancellor Dennis Healey, as part of a tax regime which he famously said would "make the pips squeak", in desperate bid to boost the failing economy.

Over the period which lasted from 1974 to 1979, when Margaret Thatcher's Conservatives took power, there was also an investment income tax surcharge of 15pc which pushed the top rate up to 98pc for some taxpayers.

When the 83pc rate was introduced just 46,000 people were eligible to pay it as the minimum earnings threshold was £20,000, equivalent to £191,000 in today's money.

Back then a salary of around £8,000 a year would be enough to put someone in the top 1pc of earners. "

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...raph-analysis/