At the recent launch of the Somerset Labour Party Manifesto for the elections on May 2nd, candidates from all over the county got together to discuss the issues that will dominate the forthcoming campaign. In Shepton Mallet, a town with a strong Labour history, Chris Inchley is the candidate and he has already made known his forthright views on the failings of the Coaliation Government on his blog and in local papers. At the Taunton launch he shared his perspective with other delegates.
“So the Conservatives with the Lib Dem poodles are launching their next phase of punishing low paid people. Poll Tax 2 is landing on many low paid people of working age door mats.In Mendip, they will pay a minimum 20% of the Council Tax with the previously exempt, now having to pay a minimum of £4 a week.”
“This on top of housing benefit changes and the 1% in work benefit rises amounts to a real terms cut in living standards.”
‘This perversity must be taught in Eton.”
Chris, who once chaired the Shepton Mallet Town Council Regeneration Committee continued “I am pleased that the government has dropped the “we are all in this together” line, frankly it would be a sick joke if they continued. In the new tax year, millionaires will get a £40,000 tax cut These are clearly people who need it the less!”
“The Conservatives and Lib Dems have a perverse mentality, the millionaires need the tax cut because they will either avoid paying the 50% tax or it is a disincentive, yet for really low paid people they seem to think that they need to be incentivised by taking money away from this. This perversity must be taught in Eton.”
“Sadly the cover for these attacks are a basic attack on the ‘scroungers’. This rhetoric clearly resonates with some but the truth is that the largest gainers from the welfare budget are pensioners and this group is exempt from cuts, 60% of those who claim welfare support are in work, so the picture is painted to appeal to base elements in people.”
“We need a Government for the Millions, not the Millionaires”
Chris commented “The only way to attack poverty is creating jobs, well paid jobs, yet today we see finance to business fell by £18.6 billion in the last year, so businesses will not retool and businesses will not grow. This government has completely failed in getting banks to lend for business growth and in turn new jobs in new industries, whilst we stagnate, Germany and the USA grow. Also they’re punishing the low paid, failing to create the opportunity for business to grow, they are also failing to reduce the deficit as fast as they said with £64 billion more borrowed by the general election. The priority of government must be creating a productive economy.”
“If they want to attack the dodgers, lets tackle tax evasion it costs the economy more than benefit fraud. We need a government for the millions not just the millionaires.”
Chris Inchley Is a councillor on Shepton Mallet Town Council and has been since first elected in 1995. He has been Chairman on three occasions. He serves on the Mendip Citizen Advice Bureau, and is the link councillor for the Tourist Information Centre. Chris Is a member of the UNITE union.