Jonathan Djanogly, the Member of Parliament for the Huntingdon Constituency, responded today to the Government's Budget, warning that taxes were soaring while public services were still failing. From this month, the average couple in Huntingdonshire would be paying an extra £434 from a 'triple whammy of taxes'.
Mr Djanogly said:
"This Government has brought us more taxes, more spending, more borrowing, more promises, more failure, more excuses, and still no results.
For newly born children there is to be a new means tested "Child Trust Fund" of between £250-£500; but that will not go far in covering the child's new top up university fees.
For pensioners over 80, they will receive an extra £100 Winter Fuel Payment; but that will not cover Labour's Council Tax increases or the halving of the value of pensions since 1997, not least due to Labour's £5 billion a year pensions tax.
For local businesses, the promise to simplify VAT will be welcome (if it works) but, as 82% of local businesses have just told me in my local business survey, Labour is suffocating them with more red tape and regulations which, nationally, have cost businesses £20 billion.
But Liberal Democrats do not offer a credible alternative. Not only have they supported Labour's increases in taxes, they want a barrage of additional taxes such as a new local income tax, regional National Insurance contributions, and anti-car taxes to drive and park.
It's time for a fairer deal for Huntingdonshire residents."