CGT furore

I have a vision, that the treasury will resist watering down the transitional effects of the PBR proposals right up until the last minute, say Budget Day, March 2008, at which time they will suddenly announce transitional reliefs, by which time everyone will have already committed to realising substantial gains.

The effect of such a Machiavellian move would be to boost the treasury's coffers by the accellerated CGT. OK, only at 10% of the gains, but better than nothing and no worse in absolute amounts than they would get for a post April 2008 disposal after accounting for the reliefs to be announced in the March 2008 budget.

But of course, they wouldn't do that, would they?

Clint Westwood