Time for value for money and lower taxes in Haringey - Lammy challenged to come clean on Labour's tax hike plans 23/01/05

William MacDougall, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Tottenham, has challenged David Lammy MP to deny or come clean on plans to raise stealth taxes if Mr Blair wins a third term. The challenge follows new figures exposing how much extra the Government is now collecting in council tax in Haringey and across England since 1997.

MacDougall explained,

"After seven years of Tony Blair's Government, the tax system has become unfair and complex. Labour have put up taxes 66 times. Across Haringey alone, the amount of money collected in council tax has risen by 80%, representing an extra £31 million a year snatched from the wallets of local esidents.  No wonder so many people think Mr Blair has forgotten them and that Britain is heading in the wrong direction.

"By contrast, Michael Howard laid out a series of practical proposals to cut waste and deliver value for money, allowing us to cut taxes. For example, by:

*    Closing down the Government Office for London - pointless when London has a Mayor, Assembly, local councils and central government offices.
*    A £200 million reduction in government advertising - often barely disguised party political propaganda.
*    Cutting the £1.3billion expenditure on consultants in half.
*    Closing the Business Advisory Group on Economic and Monetary Union - unnecessary when it is likely EMU will be rejected by the voters.
*    Sacking the 300 sheep counters employed by Whitehall.

"Every single penny that politicians spend comes out of the pockets of hard working families. I fear that taxes will have to rise even more if Mr Blair wins again. This is why I am challenging David Lammy to rule out or come clean over plans to increase taxes, such as by placing capital gains tax on your home, VAT on food, increasing income tax or hiking National Insurance by stealth."

ENDS.