Chris Johns

It's a point of view.

I think that it sounds at the superficial level, if not at a deeper level, somewhat reasonable, plausible, fair.

But everybody's definition of fairness and reasonableness is different, isn't it, Jim?

It is.

You have top rates of tax in Ireland that are at the marginal rate over 50%.

I think it's the rare person in Ireland that does actually hand over half their income.

but for some people it might come close.

I think some people might take issue with your assertion there that the rich pay for everything and get nothing back.

I mean, you do get your roads and your health service and your schools and all the other services that the state provides.

So you might argue that it's not good enough, that you don't get value for money.

I think that's a

frankly, a better, stronger argument for the people who pay their taxes, that you do get something, but it isn't good value for money.

So, yeah, we could have that discussion.

It could go on all day.

But it's about balance at the end of the day.

And where does the balance lie?

Is it tilted too much in favor of one group rather than the other?

And as I was saying the other day, the rich political scene that people like Nigel Farage and other populists are tapping into here in the UK is the notion that there are two classes of people here, one that works and one that doesn't, and that the political class, the elites...

service the people who don't work, serve their interests and don't serve the interests of the people that do, which is a different way, I think, of making the same point that you made there.

And I think that point about balance is the most important one.