UK NEWS

BROWN BLASTED FOR TAX RAID ON THE LOWER PAID

FACING REVOLT: Gordon Brown

Monday April 7,2008

By Macer Hall Political Editor

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(16)

GORDON Brown will today face stinging criticism over his income tax raid on five million households.

A committee of senior MPs will deliver a withering verdict on his decision to scrap the 10p starting rate for the tax.

The latest blow to the PM comes amid more evidence voters are deserting Labour in droves. An ICM opinion poll yesterday gave the Tories an 11 percentage points lead over Labour.

Mr Brown, who introduced the measure in his final Budget as Chancellor, is facing a growing revolt in Labour ranks over the change which comes into force this week.

A report from the Labour-dominated Commons Treas-ury Committee will brand it “unreasonable”. It said millions of households on low incomes will be worse off as earners start paying income tax at 20 per cent rather than 10. Committee chairman John McFall, a Labour MP, said: “While tax simplification is a laudable aim, it seems strange that the abolition of the 10p starting rate of income tax disadvantages mainly low-income households.

“As such, the Government must ensure that these people are identified, and appropriate help given to them to ensure they receive the benefits to which they are entitled.” Today’s report says childless households with incomes under £18,500 a year will be hit by the measure.

Experts reckon some households could be more than £300 a year worse off.

The report says: “The main group of losers seem an unreasonable target for raising additional tax revenues.”

The Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne, said: “The Labour tax revolt is growing. This report is a catalogue of Gordon Brown’s economic incompetence. The committee understands better than the Prime Minister that abolishing the 10p band will punish low-income families and add to their already rising cost of living.”

Tory leader David Cameron urged Labour MPs to side with his party to make the Government reverse the change. Labour backbencher Kate Hoey said the atmosphere in the party over the issue was “sulphurous”.

She added: “There were some MPs who have never said anything critical who were being quite angry.”

Business Secretary John Hutton said families with children would be significantly better of. For those who lost out, the scale of the losses was relatively small.

He said: “We are talking in the worst-case scenario about half a per cent of net income.” Low-income families had gained significantly from tax credits and other tax changes, he added.

BROWN BLASTED FOR TAX RAID ON THE LOWER PAI

07.04.08, 10:19pm

Its NOT a question of being sure , its a certainty ( in my area) that people are becoming tired of the Empty Rhetoric and Bullshit spouted by these Parasites and I hear daily comments demonstrating a resolve to oust them for ever.

I and my colleagues are fronting the cause to get these uncaring egotistical parasites out of Government for the betterment of Britain and for an opportunity to give the People of Britain a new "Just and Caring Establishment" who will in effect "BAT FOR BRITAIN".

• Posted by: EmperorMing • Report Comment

EMPORER " DON'T BE TOO SURE !!"

07.04.08, 6:16pm

The NEW Labour crew being voted out of power ? ............. They make Mugabe's form of "Democracy" look like something out of Disney World !

The odds are stacked firmly in their favour, and they know it ?

Not only will they remain in "Power" (already done and dusted) Do they honestly look and act like a Goverment which are in any way concerned about losing "Power"

ERRRRRRRRRR No, Professional Criminals they might be !! stupid they are not

Make no mistake.

• Posted by: BratislavaUK • Report Comment

BROWN BLASTED FOR TAX RAID ON THE LOWER PAID

07.04.08, 5:18pm

One things for certain, Gormless Brown and The New Labour Incompetence Party will get its cum uppance at the next general election.

Thats the nearest thing to a certainty these days.

• Posted by: EmperorMing • Report Comment

"CRITICISM" BRING IT ON !! MONKEYS AND COULDN'T GIVE SPRINGS TO MIND ?

07.04.08, 5:01pm

Anyone, Anytime, you can criticise Brown all you like !! that he can cope with .

He has been ordered to ?

What you will not be able to do is have a different opinion, and even if you do ??

SO WHAT ?

there is only ONE view which is in any way tyhe correct one , and that is The Grand Matsers ? Browns.

Live with it .

• Posted by: BratislavaUK • Report Comment

10O/O

07.04.08, 2:46pm

why was this outrageous situation not spotted or discussed at browns last budget? why did no-one spot what was going to happen when this measure was introduced? was everyone blind? It was so obvious, on reflection, that it's difficult to believe that the problem has only just been realised. but, as has already been stated, these same "victims" will still vote labour comes the next election, just you wait and see.

• Posted by: alan94 • Report Comment

TO MAKE IT FAIR THEY SHOULD

07.04.08, 1:55pm

To make it fair they should have 30% base rate income tax with a £15,000 tax allowance, taking all low earners out of income tax completely and removing the need any form of tax credits.

With 30% / £15k, everyone earning under £41k per year would be better off, and everyone earning more than that would be worse off.

• Posted by: NathanHobbs • Report Comment