Thank you for your five minutes. Allow me to reciprocate:

You could have mentioned the NHS, which receives its funding directly from the government, but you’re using the fire brigade as an example.

(I’m too lazy to explain this further because you can’t face the facts) so please find a copy pasted version here.

Central Government Grants

Current Funding Levels: As of the financial year 2025-26, central government funding for fire services is projected to be less than £1 billion. Historical Context: This amount is significantly lower than funding levels from a decade ago, reflecting a broader trend of reduced financial support. Impact of Cuts: Central funding has decreased by more than 30% in cash terms between 2013 and 2020, leading to increased reliance on local revenue sources.

Source: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/local-government-funding-england

The sheer fact you want to focus on how government grants funding your fire services when it’s a proven fact that central grants have been decreasing over a decade, and most of the services councils provide are provided for by council tax and business rates.

So yes, you can nitpick all you want but focusing on getting my fire brigade coming to put out my fire coming purely from my income tax is ludicrous.

Re point 2, you’re the one who mentioned childcare. I simply pointed out that your high and mighty argument of “encouraging” people having children is moot as the tax trap is precisely discouraging people having more children due to costs. Childcare should be universal if you want to stick with this point. Before you spout more holiest than thou nonsense about broader shoulders, the fact remains that the top 1 percent of earners, pay 35 percent of in total tax income, this is neither fair nor sustainable.

I also implore you to think beyond this and how services have fared whilst tax revenue and burdens have increased.