UK rejects wealth tax and national service

The UK split almost down the middle on two big economy questions but came down decisively against both a wealth tax and blaming Brexit for low growth. Voters also threw out plans to limit the franchise to those with public service and rejected national service as a cure for a divided nation.

The verdicts

Was Burnham correct in blaming Brexit for low growth? saw the country say No. Do not hang the decade on a door nobody fully walked through became the room’s governing instinct: No rejected Burnham’s blame, even as several voters conceded Brexit had contributed.

Should there be a 2% tax on individual wealth over £10 million? produced another narrow No. Working people pay tax on every penny earned captured the Yes case, but fairness met fears about capital flight, enforcement and growth.

Should public sector employees who work entirely from home be paid less than those who work fully on site? also went No in a close vote. You pay people for the work they deliver, not the chair they sit in was the room’s cleanest answer: the debate exposed a genuine fight over whether fairness means output or the cost of showing up.

Should voting rights be restricted to those with at least two years in public service, such as military, fire, or NHS? was rejected overwhelmingly. Service was treated as something to honour, not a ticket to the ballot; the only Yes voice argued a different case altogether.

Should a form of national service be introduced to help fix a divided nation? met similar resistance. The proposed cure for division met a room wary of coercion: a sharp No voice called compulsory service “cohesion in uniform”.

On less contentious ground, Should councils be required to permanently repair potholes rather than patch them? won commanding support. It’s false economy was the floor’s sharpest line as voters backed permanent repair over endless patching.

Is shifting from the 'Broken Britain' narrative essential to increase UK R&D investment? passed by roughly two to one. Change the conditions was the chamber’s sharpest warning; voters chose a new national story even as the strongest objections rejected narrative politics.

Should new housing have 'cool roofs' to make them more energy efficient & help combat global warming? (E.G. LIGHT GREY) also carried by two to one. A light-grey roof beat the language of “another duty”, though the sharpest resistance came from voters who saw one more rule in an already crowded house.

Voting continues today.

Have your say

Every verdict above was decided by people like you. See the full results →

Today's questions are already live. Cast your vote — or create an account and be counted.