The worst is over
Until the Budget the hazard of short-term gains tax added to risk, since profits taken too soon, however big, were not always enough to pay back principal and interest (not allowed, of course, against their income by Mr Jenkins) as well as income tax and penal surtax. With no short-term gains prob- lem the worst is over, but for Mr Barber to have allowed interest against income, just now, while some positions may still be open, might have exposed significant men to the light when the Finance Bill is debated. No impropriety probably occurred in a legal sense though it might be as well if some of those concerned let their public relations boys leak news of the tolerable luck they had during the dark cloudy night of social- ism. Whatever happens there are several con- servatives who are unlikely to be asked by, say, Mr Harold Lever (who's never wasted time out of office) 'If you are so smart why aren't you rich?'
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