Such cripplingly high tax rates would trigger a revolt if they were widely understood. But because they are so well camouflaged, the Government is able to get away with taxing even people on the minimum wage at extortionate rates. The trick here is the fictional notion of employers’ National Insurance: all good economists agree that the burden of this tax is borne by workers, not shareholders, in the form of lower wages. By rights, it should be seen as a form of income tax; “employers’” NICs are, in fact, a secret part of people’s salaries diverted straight to the taxman.