Not My Darling

11.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 14th May 2008

Graham Oakes

Graham Oakes, Lib Dem PPC for Exeter has criticised Alistair Darling's decision to extend personal tax allowances for basic rate tax payers:

"The tax burden for many people is far too high but this is not a fiscal decision but a clear sign of panic. Poll after poll has indicated that Labour is on the slide and will lose seats like Exeter , but what is needed are clear fiscal policies. The government have failed to prevent the banks from profiting out of the cut in interest rates, failed to control rapidly escalating fuel prices which particularity hit people here in the West Country and have failed to protect the poorer members of our society."

"If the Chancellor wanted to help the lower paid he would have proposed significant cuts in Income Tax and a redistribution of wealth by increasing the element of tax paid by people earning in excess of £100,000, but once again Labour has failed its grass roots support."

"Labour's failure to protect the least well off, with over 1 million people still losing out after the 10p tax debacle, will come back to haunt them. If trends over the past 18 months continue Labour will come third in Exeter at the next General Election."