Crispin Blunt

Conservative Party | Reigate

‘Gee, Thanks!’: Reigate MP’s reaction to Budget

Thursday’s local property paper revealed just how irrelevant to local people was Gordon Brown’s budget. The flagship tax cut, raising the stamp duty threshold to £120,000 would apply to just two homes for sale in the Reigate constituency. Crispin Blunt said: ‘One of these is a retirement home – so not much help for first time buyers then.’

Even the other pre-election sweetener started tasting sour just a few minutes after the Chancellor sat down.  £200 for pensioners to help with council tax?  It's less than the 50 per cent cut in bills, or £500 promised by the Conservatives and it will only last for a year.

 And the finale - free bus travel for pensioners?  Only outside rush hour, apparently, and certain to mean even higher council tax bills all round.

The truth is that the Chancellor had very little room for manoeuvre.  Even though taxes have gone up 66 times, he is planning to borrow a staggering £168 billion, which is 100 billion more than he thought only a year ago.  That is why Michael Howard called it a vote now, pay later budget. If Labour get in again, taxes go up again.

There is an alternative. 

The Conservatives have set out spending plans for a whole Parliament.  We would increase health and education spending but cut out waste and keep taxes down.  We would spend £12 billion less than Labour plan by 2008.  So we could cut borrowing by 8 billion and cut taxes by £4 billion.  It's a much more balanced approach - and it's been costed by independent experts. 

The choice at the election is clear.  You can have higher taxes and more waste under Labour, or value for money and lower taxes under the Conservatives.  I just hope we can now get on with it.