Reacting to the Government’s Budget Statement, Christopher Fraser, MP for South West Norfolk, said:
“The Chancellor’s bid for headline catching news leaves me in no doubt that he is aware of the huge problems that he and the Labour Party face, in the light of clear evidence that the public has lost faith and trust in them. We all know our tax has risen to record levels under this Government, and we want to know where our money has gone.
“We have learnt from his ten previous budgets that the bad news does not emerge until the details are analysed, and I do not believe that the smiling Gordon Brown has changed the way he works. In the small print of this Budget, he has admitted that the overall tax burden will continue to rise. Taxpayers should not be lulled into thinking that they will be allowed to keep 2p in every £1 that they earn. By abolishing the 10p tax band altogether, he is effectively doubling the rate at which low earners will pay tax. I would expect there to be as many losers as winners from these changes.
“It is all very well for the Chancellor to say that working families will gain by an increase in Working or Child Tax Credits. I know from my constituency casework what a devastating impact Tax Credits can have, when people are first overpaid and then receive a demand for repayment of money they have already spent in good faith.
“I do however welcome the Chancellor’s conversion to the Conservative policy of sharing the proceeds of growth – as recently as last month, he was insisting that it was impossible to maintain spending on public services and still cut taxes. His U-turn is very welcome, though growth in the UK’s economy is now among the lowest in the EU and certainly nothing to be proud of.
“I am very disappointed that he has chosen to pick on 4-wheel drive and family cars again. I hoped he would have the common sense to appreciate that those of use who live in the country or who have big families select one of these vehicles for reasons of practicality, not lifestyle choice. Many family cars are now taxed at the same rate as a Rolls Royce. Nor do I believe that this vehicle excise duty will be put towards measures that combat climate change. I can find nothing in this Budget that helps the rural economy. We are just seen as an easy target by an urban Chancellor with no understanding of rural life.
“Finally, given the very real problems of the NHS in Norfolk, I am devastated that Gordon Brown did not pledge better funding for our Health Service. His new stealth tax on “managed service companies” – the biggest employer of which is the NHS itself – will only make things worse for patients and staff.” |