Fair Taxes Part Of Solution To Economic Problems

7.30.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 25th Oct 2008

Lib Dem PPC for Exeter Graham Oakes has criticised both the Labour Government and Tory party of being more interested in Russian millionaires than the people they were elected to serve.

"We face massive challenges and unless we take bold steps the economy will take years to recover and those who suffer most will be the people trying to run small businesses and the people they employ."

"The recent shenanigans show that senior figures within both the Labour and Tory parties are totally out of touch with normal people. How can these people lead us back to a fair society with a strong economy when they have never faced financial hardship."

"We need to move towards a fundamental change in the way we fund our services and strive for social justice. Whilst it may not be a popular phrase, I believe we must start redistributing wealth so that as the economy recovers the gap between rich and poor will close not widen. Frankly no Tory old Etonian is going to want that to happen."

"The Liberal Democrats have pledged to cut Income Tax to 16p and to go further if the funds are available. But that is not enough. We need to pledge ourselves to create a true minimum wage, by that I mean a point where people start paying Income Tax. How can it be right that someone who is on a so-called Minimum Wage pays Income Tax - it makes no sense."

"We need to adjust the starting point of Income Tax in line with Minimum Wage. This will give a large boost to the many people in Exeter and the South West who earn the Minimum Wage. Having given them a massive rise in take home pay we also need to help the vital Small & Medium enterprises that are so important to our economy, particularly in this region but freezing the Minimum wage for 3 years. This would help businesses such as Care Homes to survive. Of course this needs to be paid for and some of this would need to come from graduated taxes, switching the tax burden to those more able to bear it."

"We need to end the benefits trap and make it worth going to work. We must support parents who are struggling to raise their children by letting them keep more of their hard earned money."

"By putting money back into peoples pockets we will boost the micro economy and this will filter through to the macro economy. We will protect jobs and maintain social cohesion. We will also create a fairer society."

"The Liberal Democrats need to pledge themselves to this end as neither of the other parties would or could do the same. By doing this we will offer the people of Exeter and Britain a positive alternative."