Labour's budget - soak the poor, not the rich

6.01.19pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 21st Mar 2007

Campbell on Brown "He has delivered a budget of missed opportunities."

Commenting on Gordon Brown's budget, Liberal Democrat Leader Menzies Campbell said "The big increase in taxation is a doubling of the starting rate of income tax rate. The income tax changes announced in the budget will mean that anyone earning less than around £15,000 will pay more in income tax. The 2p cut in the basic rate is welcome, but let us be clear this is an income tax cut for the wealthy dressed up as a tax cut for the poor."

Continuing Menzies said "While the Chancellor has taken some of the key headline policies from the Liberal Democrats, he has got the fundamental point wrong, we need tax cuts for the low and middle income earners now. Those on low incomes will now experience even higher rates of taxation and this will do nothing to increase incentives to work."

In his speech to Parliament Menzies Campbell accused Gordon Brown of not doing enough for the hard working families, young professionals, nurses or police officers struggling with rising living costs. "The Chancellor had the chance to use this final budget to show that he was listening to the voices of the people of Britain. But he has delivered a budget of missed opportunities."

"He had the chance to build a fairer Britain through tax cuts for the low paid - but in fact he has increased income tax for the lowest paid."

"He had the chance to create a greener Britain by taxing pollution - but he shunned it.

"And he had the chance to shape a prudent Britain by saving billions of pounds on government waste - but he avoided it.