From the Telegraph:
"The world's leading economic watchdog has urged Gordon Brown to abandon his decade-long use of stealth taxes.
The
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development yesterday issued
the Government an unprecedented order to be "more transparent" about
tax rises.
It said the Government should stop
using fiscal drag - whereby it raises tax allowances more slowly than
earnings, dragging many more families into the highest tax bracket - or
be more open about its use. Anne Marie Brook, the chief author of the
OECD report, said: "The Government should be making it clearer to
people how they are raising taxes. It's a question of transparency."
Most people are aware that they're paying more in tax. TaxPayers' Alliance polling shows that 70% know that their taxes have risen under Brown. However, that doesn't mean that they are aware of just how much more they are paying. Too much tax is hidden away in stealth taxes like the raid on pensions or in a failure to increase rates in line with growth in earnings and wealth. Darling should listen to the OECD and fiscally-dragging people into higher taxes.