While Slugger O'Toole is the place to go for updates on whether the alleged final run at getting power-sharing going in Northern Ireland will succeed, here's an interesting piece from today's Financial Times (free link, thankfully) on the possible future economic strategies of London and Dublin towards Northern Ireland -- which may proceed whether or not there is a deal. One possibility mooted is that Northern Ireland might be given low-tax zone status within the UK, which would allow it to compete more effectively with the Republic in attracting footloose multinationals. Perhaps to the relief of Dublin, various factors work against this option, not least that it doesn't seem like a Gordon Brown thing to do (apart from anything else, how would he explain it to his fellow Scots?).
A somewhat related track being pushed by Peter Hain is to raise more local tax revenue, which would fit nicely with his plan for beefed up local government. Northern Ireland is also bringing in water charges from next year, something that the Republic does not do, although a looming water crisis in the thirsty Dublin suburbs may change that. Anyway, the article concludes with the perhaps inevitable acknowledgment that things in Northern Ireland are never "simply British" -
"[Margaret] Thatcher said we were as British as Finchley but, in this respect, we are actually worse off," complained one Belfast home owner. "At least in Finchley council tax is capped."
UPDATE 13th October (which is an interesting anniversary, by the way) -- it turns out that local revenue is indeed one of the chips on the table if the St Andrews Agreement (sic) is accepted:
A financial package is also included in the draft agreement. One of the proposals is a cap on domestic rates under the new capital value system if the governments' plans are accepted by the parties. It also suggests the possibility of further rates relief for pensioners on lower incomes.
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