Dundee LibDems back Clegg over the 10p tax rate
Dundee LibDems today (Friday 25th April) gave their backing to Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg MP, who has written to Labour MPs urging them not to be bribed by the Government's 'last minute smoke and mirror promises' and instead vote for the Liberal Democrat amendment against the plan to double the 10p rate of tax.
In his letter to Labour MPs, Nick Clegg said, ""I strongly hope that, for the benefit of many thousands of your constituents, you will join us in a cross-party effort to defeat this punitive tax change.
"There has still been no commitment to ensure that all people made worse off by this tax rise will be fully compensated.
"Regardless of whether the Treasury back-dates any future compensation payment, this will still mean low paid workers will be out of pocket for at least the next seven months.
"Parliament should send a clear message that we do not believe that the poor should be targeted to pay for tax cuts for the better off."
Locally, here in Dundee, LibDem councillor for Strathmartine Ward, Cllr Helen Dick, added, "The unspecified measures announced by the Labour Government won't come into effect until November at the earliest, and will not help all of the millions of people affected by the original change.
"Labour has failed to properly help the lowest paid citizens from the effect of its decision on the 10p tax rate."