Better Off Under Gordon?

10.43.06am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 7th Apr 2008

Gordon Brown

The new tax rates came into force this weekend leaving those on lower incomes worse off.

The tax changes abolish the 10% band which was to help those on lower incomes. The changes cut the basic rate which means that those on more than £18,500 a year will be better off. The Treasury Select Committee warned the "main losers" could be deprived of as much as £232 a year.

Alan Beddow, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Warwick & Leamington said, "I received my payslip this morning and I am paying less income tax now than I did 7 years ago. At the same time those on lower incomes, especially young people are worse off. How can Labour continue to claim it is the party of hard working people."

The Liberal Democrats tax proposals would shift the burden of taxation onto Green Taxes and take those on lower incomes out of tax altogether.

"I will be using my Tax Cut to fight for a fairer government in this county", Alan Beddow added.