The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria's Mandate of Heaven

Chapter 1661 The 7pence Act
George Hamilton Gordon hadn't expected the other party to come after him, and instinctively wanted to avoid conflict, so he quickly explained.

"Now is not the time for mutual recrimination; we must unite and face the crisis in Britain together."

John Russell, though not as shameless as Palmerston, wouldn't let this opportunity pass him by, and he immediately said...

“Your Excellency, do you think your gentlemanly demeanor can influence a dictator like the Tsar? He can’t see your humility; all he can see is a hesitant, cowardly man who lacks courage.”

Your actions will only sway those who are hesitant to the side that is more resolute and powerful!

John Russell was attacking precisely what George Hamilton Gordon had been most criticized for, but the latter himself was unaware of it and continued to speak as usual.

“You can criticize me, but you cannot ignore the calls for peace from members of parliament and the people! I am only thinking of Britain's interests, so why can't we resolve this peacefully?”

"Peace? Your Excellency, did I hear that right? Do you think there's any possibility of peace between us and Russia?"

You are the Prime Minister of the British Empire; you should guide the people, not be swayed by them!

George Hamilton Gordon was beginning to waver; he was unsure what the outcome of continuing the argument would be, but he had already begun to agree with John Russell to some extent.

However, the problem returned to square one: no allies, insufficient strength, and huge expenses—all of these factors made George Hamilton Gordon feel that he should not participate in this war.

He could only try to say it.

"But now we are facing the problem of lacking allies, lacking funds, and even more so, lacking enough soldiers."

The chances of winning this war are far too slim; we shouldn't get involved in this hopeless conflict.

Faced with a prime minister who had run out of words, John Russell prepared to press his advantage.

"Your Excellency, why do you boost the morale of others while diminishing your own? Just because Britain lacks allies now does not mean it will lack them in the future. As long as we demonstrate sufficient determination and strength, people will naturally be willing to stand on our side."

As for the lack of funds, were we well-funded during the Anti-French War and the Anglo-Dutch War?
The biggest difference between us and those old countries is that we have a good reputation, and we always attract money.

The lack of soldiers and generals is not a problem. Look at those poor guys on the streets and those parasites in the poorhouses. They waste so much of our country's food. Shouldn't we make some compensation for them?
Or are they the people you truly believe in?

George Hamilton Gordon understood what John Russell was saying, but if the British government continued to borrow, it would truly never have a chance to recover.

At this time, 35% of the UK's fiscal revenue was used to pay off debt, and in addition, some internal reforms and actions in recent years have also been increasing the debt.

As mentioned earlier, the UK's debt had now exceeded £1.2 billion, forcing the British government to adopt a strategy of refinancing existing debt to maintain operations.

"Lord Russell, I think you've gone mad! This is a war, not a game. And whatever you say, the problem is clear: we have no money! The nation has no money!"
Do you really think the anti-French war was a one-woman war between Great Britain and France? Without Spain, Austria, and Russia, we wouldn't even be qualified to fight France to the death!

George Hamilton Gordon didn't want to say such discouraging things, that was the truth. What a joke it was for Britain to take on the Holy Alliance on land alone! He didn't want to gamble everything on a war they couldn't win.

"Lord Russell, are you aware that, based on past experience, even if everything goes smoothly, we will still need to issue at least £100 million in new government bonds?"

The proposed increase in personal income tax from 7 pence to 14 pence per pound (equivalent to 5.8%) would be devastating for the poor.

Factory owners may lay off workers due to dissatisfaction with the tax increase, and the interests of business people will not be protected. Investment will decrease further, which will lead to a more serious economic crisis and may even cause the country to go bankrupt and the government to collapse.

Was it all worth it?

The British personal income tax, also known as the Sevenpence Act, was first enacted by William Pitt the Younger in 1799 to counter France. It was called the Sevenpence Act because it stipulated that British citizens should pay seven pence as tax for every pound of income they earned.

"Our taxes are too high!"

"We can't raise taxes any further!"

Don't try to use us as an ATM!

"John Russell, you warmonger! Go pay the price for your war!"

Upon hearing about the proposed tax increase, the members of Congress were immediately agitated and sided with George Hamilton Gordon.

Amidst a deafening chorus of boos, John Russell knew he was on the edge of a precipice; if he couldn't salvage the situation in time, he would be truly finished.

"Honorable members of Congress, the claim that participating in war will lead to increased taxes is a complete lie by George Hamilton Gordon!"

These words calmed the members of Congress slightly, but George Hamilton Gordon immediately launched a counterattack.

"How can we maintain a balance of payments during wartime without raising taxes? How can we expand our military and prepare for war? Are you going to foot all the bills?"

John Russell smiled and shook his head.

"Your Excellency, the greatness of Great Britain lies in its liberty, equality, and fraternity. Since equality is essential, the cost of war should not be borne entirely by us, the social elite."

Our citizens are also part of the country. They enjoy the benefits that this country provides, so they should also contribute something to this country in a proper way.

I propose relaxing the restrictions on who should be taxed, including workers and farmers who earn less than £30 a year. This would not only solve the current financial crisis but also foster a sense of equality among the public.

That's truly killing two birds with one stone!

The parliament erupted in enthusiastic applause once again, and some people even whistled.

"That's a brilliant idea!"

"That's right! To prevent those lazybones from going astray, we should teach them a good lesson!"

"agree!"

"Agree!"

George Hamilton Gordon felt something was amiss, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it; perhaps deep down he agreed with John Russell's assessment.

John Russell continued.

"Yes, we will indeed pay a high price. However, the Austrians have already dug the Suez Canal, and we have no way out."

If Russia is allowed to break out of the Mediterranean and head towards India...

By then, the price we have to pay will be far more than what we are facing now.
Gentlemen! It is time to decide! To be cowardly cowards who watch helplessly as the enemy buries us, or to be staunch defenders who fight for freedom, civilization, and equality!

George Hamilton Gordon was a man of little presence, and by this time the applause from the members of parliament had already drowned him out.