The Land Value Taxation Campaign is a single-issue organisation based in the UK. It proposes that the rental value of land should be collected and used as the principal source of public revenue, as a replacement for present taxes on wages, profits, goods and services. This policy mitigates and may even eliminate chronic economic problems.

“Rent of Talent”, a notion that grew up some time around the 1900s, has cast a fog of confusion over the term “Rent”. The talents in question were those of opera singers, sportsmen, and the like. The argument went that if land rent should be taxed, so should natural talent, thereby opening up the case for progressive income taxes. This helped the landowning interest, as it diverted attention away from their own privilege. But “rent” is the wrong term for the these high earnings.

The Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Lord Andrew Adonis, announced the government's proposals for a new network of high speed railways in this statement. Further details are given in this 152 page report. We shall be commenting when we have had time to consider the proposals.

It is good to be able to say something complimentary about Tax Justice for once. They have given a good write-up to the International Union's April conference on their website in an article headed "Why is so much wealth in the hands of so few?"

Former racing driver Stirling Moss was interviewed in the Daily Telegraph today. It is instructive - here is an extract...