Right Breeds vs AP: Tax Policy
- Right-wing fiscal spokesperson Tina Bru has voiced strong criticism against the Labor Party and Jonas Gahr Støre, accusing them of breaking promises related to tax policy.
- Bru claims the Labor Party has reneged on several tax policy commitments, citing three specific instances.
- They have no credibility in tax policy; at least nothing but the taxes are going up.
Fiscal Spokesperson Criticizes Labor Party‘s Tax Policies
Table of Contents
Right-wing fiscal spokesperson Tina Bru has voiced strong criticism against the Labor Party and Jonas Gahr Støre, accusing them of breaking promises related to tax policy.
Allegations of Broken Promises
Bru claims the Labor Party has reneged on several tax policy commitments, citing three specific instances.
Ap and Støre have shown that they are not to be trusted. They have no credibility in tax policy; at least nothing but the taxes are going up.
three Key Disputes
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2016 Tax Settlement: Bru contends that the labor party violated a 2016 agreement between multiple parties, including the Right, to maintain a stable dividend tax relative to the corporate tax. She states that the dividend tax increased from 31.68% to 37.84%, while the corporate tax remained unchanged.
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2021 tax Promise: Bru highlights a tax promise made by the Labor Party in 2021. She asserts that the party clarified post-election that the promise only applied to work income, not capital income.
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2023 “Tax Shock”: Bru refers to the introduction of a tourist tax and the tightening of the exit tax in 2023 as a “tax shock,” arguing that it contradicts the government’s pledge of no new tax increases.
Labor Party’s Rebuttal
Ap deputy leader Jan Christian Vestre has refuted the accusations, countering that the Right initially broke the tax settlement by increasing the stock discount in the wealth tax during their time in government.
Vestre also points out that the Labor Party has reduced taxes on salaries, social security, and pensions by over 11 billion. He denies that the tourist tax and changes to the exit tax constitute “tax bombs.”
Values created in Norway must be taxed in Norway. I think most people think it is both sensible and fair.Jan Christian Vestre, Ap Deputy Leader
Fiscal Policy: A Q&A on the Labor Party’s Tax Policies
this article addresses criticisms of the Labor Party’s tax policies in Norway, focusing on allegations of broken promises and the party’s defense.
Key Accusations and Rebuttals
What are the main accusations against the Labor party regarding tax policies?
Right-wing fiscal spokesperson Tina Bru accuses the Labor Party, led by Jonas Gahr Støre, of breaking promises related to tax policy. She cites three key disputes:
2016 Tax settlement: Allegedly violated an agreement to keep dividend tax stable relative to corporate tax. The dividend tax increased from 31.68% to 37.84%, while corporate tax remained unchanged.
2021 Tax Promise: According to Bru, a promise made in 2021 was clarified post-election to apply only to work income, not capital income.
* 2023 “Tax Shock”: Introduction of a tourist tax and the tightening of the exit tax in 2023 are described as a “tax shock,” contradicting a pledge of no new tax increases.
how has the Labor Party responded to these accusations?
Ap deputy leader Jan Christian Vestre has refuted the accusations. He claims the Right initially broke the tax settlement by increasing the stock discount in the wealth tax. Furthermore, Vestre says that the Labor Party has reduced taxes on salaries, social security, and pensions by over 11 billion. He denies that the tourist tax and changes to the exit tax constitute “tax bombs”.
What is the Labor Party’s stance on taxing wealth created in Norway?
The Labor Party believes “values created in Norway must be taxed in Norway,” framing it as ”sensible and fair.”
Detailed Breakdown of the Disputes
What was the 2016 Tax Settlement, and what are the specific claims of its violation?
The 2016 Tax Settlement was an agreement between multiple parties, including the Right and the Labor Party, which aimed to maintain a stable relationship between dividend tax and corporate tax rates. The accusation is that the Labor Party violated this settlement by increasing the dividend tax from 31.68% to 37.84%, without a corresponding change to the corporate tax rate.
What promise was made in 2021, and what was the alleged clarification?
The exact nature of the 2021 tax promise isn’t entirely clear from the provided text. However, the criticism centers on the clarification post-election, limiting the promise’s applicability only to work income rather than broader capital income.
What specific tax changes constitute the ”2023 Tax Shock”?
The “2023 Tax Shock” refers to the introduction of a tourist tax and the tightening of the exit tax. Fiscal spokesperson Tina Bru argues that these measures contradict the government’s pledge of not increasing taxes.
Comparative Tax Highlights
The following table summarizes the key points of contention raised by Tina Bru regarding the Labor Party’s tax policies:
| Year | Tax Policy | Alleged Change | Criticism |
| ————- | ———————————————- | ———————————————– | ——————————————————- |
| 2016 | Tax Settlement (Dividend vs.corporate) | Dividend tax increased (31.68% to 37.84%) | Violation of agreement |
| 2021 | Tax Promise | Limited to work income post-election | Broken promise, applied inconsistently |
| 2023 | “Tax Shock”: Tourist Tax & Exit Tax Tightening | new taxes | Contradicts pledge of no new tax increases |