Brake - Government Plans Will Not Help Ordinary Families

3.00.00pm GMT Tue 15th Dec 2009

The Chancellor's Pre Budget Report last week was slated by local MP Tom Brake who accused the Labour Government of failing ordinary families in Sutton and abandoning their commitment to the most vulnerable in our society.

Tom said "Despite his use of the word fair in the report, the Chancellor's plans are unequivocally unfair. People on middle incomes will be paying more tax, while the super-rich continue to benefit from tax loopholes.'

In addition, Mr Darling's speech unveiled a series of belt-tightening measures, including a cap on public sector pay rises of 1% for two years from 2011. He also said in his speech to Parliament that contributions from the state to the pensions of teachers, local government and health workers and civil servants would be capped, saving £1bn a year.

Tom remarked, 'Labour have refused to make the hard choices that are necessary when it comes to Government spending and budget reductions. Instead the hidden costs of the Chancellor's plan will be borne by low paid workers who will face a cut in wages because of the 1% pay rise - an increase lower than the rate of inflation.'

'Thanks to the Government, hard working, average families in Sutton, who take home £20,000 a year will be worse off. This is wholly unacceptable.'