John Baron

Conservative Party | Billericay and District

John Baron MP slams tax rises on top of soaring living costs across Basildon District

MP points to new research exposing higher shopping bills, council tax and utility bills

 

 

John Baron MP today warned that the cost of living is rising faster than many families’ incomes, and criticised the Government’s measure of ‘inflation’ and its tax increases. This comes as the Government has published details of new council tax bills from April which show that the Band D bill for Basildon District will hit £1,478 – up a massive 118% since 1997.

 

John said:

 

“Although Gordon Brown claims that official inflation is running at 2.5%, new research reveals the extent to which the weekly household shop, energy bills and council tax is rising much faster.  The government is clearly out of touch with what’s going on in the real world.”

 

 “Meanwhile, the government is piling on the misery with an extra £110 of taxes a year in the Budget for the average family.  The government can’t control the cost of living directly, but it can avoid making it worse by controlling the taxes it makes people pay.”

 

“A new Conservative Government would make sure public money is spent properly. That way, over time, we can cut taxes and the cost of living.”

Ends

Word Count:

28th March 2008

 

Notes to Editors

 

RISING COST OF LIVING

 

A Conservative research dossier into the rising cost of living is available at:

http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj_id=143152

 

It reveals that since Gordon became Prime Minister nine months ago:

·          The price of butter has increased by 37%

·          The price of a dozen eggs increased by 34%

·          The price of a loaf of bread increased by 28%

·          The price of flour increased by 22%

·          The price of a pint of milk increased by 17%

·          The price of cheese increased by 17%

·          The price of a sack of potatoes increased by 11%

·          Gas and fuel prices have increased by 10%

·          Petrol prices have increased by 8%.

 

Labour’s tax rises are adding to the burden:

·          The latest Labour Budget will add £110 a year to every family’s tax bill. As a result of the Budget changes, the tax take will be £2.8 billion a year higher by 2010.

·          Council tax is also due to go up by 4% this year, and council tax receipts by 5%.

·          According to the British Beer and Pub Association, Labour’s across-the-board alcohol tax rise will mean that a pint of beer will cost £6.50 by the time of the 2012 London Olympics.

 

As a result of high inflation and high taxes, real earnings have fallen for the past two years.

 

·          Rising inflation and housing costs mean single men and women in work are now £10 a week worse off compared with 2001.

·          Average earnings have fallen by £215 over the last two years.

·          Since 2000, interest rates in the UK have been the highest in the developed world.

·          High inflation means that students have interest charges which are double the average loan repayment for a typical new graduate.

·          Energy bill increases mean that 440,000 families have fallen into fuel poverty in the last month alone, on top of the 4.4 million who are already in fuel poverty.

 

COUNCIL TAX RISES BY TOWN HALL

 

Based on the latest Government figures, the table below shows the council tax bills across England which will be payable from April, and the change since 1997.

Band D Council Tax	1997-98	2008-09	%rise since 97
England	£688	£1,374	+100%
Basildon	£678	£1,478	+118%