The
Poll Tax triggered riots and civil disobedience and toppled Margaret Thatcher in 1990 before it was scrapped and replaced with Council Tax.
What she did not understand was the effect her
poll tax would have on the country and was the catalyst to her downfall.
The
Poll Tax and Margaret Thatcher disappeared in perfect unison, never to return.
In July 1987 he approached Mrs Thatcher to express his concern over the level of opposition he was facing from councils over plans to phase in the
poll tax over a period of years.
Chancellor Nigel Lawson also warned that introducing the
Poll Tax would leave the Tories exposed to "unacceptable political risks".
In July 1987 Mr Ridley approached Mrs Thatcher to voice concerns about the level of opposition he faced from councils over plans to phase in the
poll tax.
District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos of Corpus Christi ruled that Texas' voter ID law "constitutes an unconstitutional
poll tax." The state appealed the ruling to the 5th Circuit, arguing that the law improves ballot security and prevents election fraud.
In England and Wales, councils are barred from chasing
poll tax after six years.
While city bosses are also owed the far greater sum of PS100m in council tax, that figure accumulated over the last 20 years after the abolition of the 'community charge', as the
poll tax was known - meaning the rate of
poll tax non-payment was far higher.
The
poll tax was defeated and the reverberations from the protest led to the fall of Margaret Thatcher.
The
poll tax - $2 a year, levied on males only - set a pre-condition to voting, requiring the ability to read.
This was made easier for them by the perceived unpopularity of the
Poll Tax. As a footnote, it would be interesting to see the effect if the various Socialist groups who so effectively organised the violent demonstrations against the
Poll Tax were to turn their energies, in similar fashion, to protests against VAT and Road Tax using the same logic.
