No to unfair 20% VAT

Labour's MP for Bassetlaw, John Mann, a member of the Treasury Select Committee is urging MPs in the East Midlands to vote against the Government's planned increase to VAT to 20 per cent.

John said: "Putting up VAT to 20 per cent is an unfair tax that will hit our pensioners the hardest as they have not been compensated with any increase in their tax allowance or other benefits.

"During the election campaign the Liberal Democrats campaigned against VAT increases and accused the Tories of having a secret VAT bombshell. Now we know that the Liberals are voting for the tax increase."

A vote in the House of Commons to approve an increase in VAT from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent is expected in the week commencing 12th July. The Conservative - Liberal Democrat Government announced in the Budget 22nd June that VAT would be increased by 2.5 per cent, even though during the election campaign the Conservatives said they had no plans to increase VAT and the Liberal Democrats campaigned against increasing VAT.

The Labour Party has launched a petition against the VAT increase and John Mann is calling on members of the public to sign the petition to stop the unfair increase which will fall hardest on pensioners and those least able to afford it.

John added: "We know that difficult decisions have to be taken, but we don't agree that this is the right way to reduce the deficit. Labour's plan was to reduce the deficit by half over four years and without an unfair VAT rise.

"I'm urging members of the public to show their opposition to these plans by signing the petition against this unfair tax."

The petition can be found at www.eastmidslabour.org.uk or www.labour.org.uk/vat