Motorists urged to make a stand

Election 2011

CHANCELLOR George Osborne was accused of leaving his head on the ski slope as yesterday’s VAT rise was blasted by another Labour heavyweight.

The party’s campaign co-ordinator Andy Burnham visited Scouthead Filling Station — and urged local voters to send a message to the Coalition Government in the Oldham East and Saddleworth January 13 by-election.

It came hot on the heels of Labour leader Ed Miliband who also blasted the 2.5 per cent hike when he hit the campaign trail in Oldham on Monday.

Mr Burnham said motorists were being hit by a double whammy of the VAT increase and Prime Minister David Cameron’s failure to introduce the promised fuel duty stabiliser.

After braving the cold weather to chat to voters he added: “We have had a lot of broken promises by David Cameron and Nick Clegg on petrol. As people go back to work they will be feeling the costs in their pockets.”

He repeated Mr Miliband’s mantra of the “wrong tax at the wrong time” and said: “We always said the fairest way to raise funds to help close the deficit was through National Insurance. VAT hits the poorest hardest.”

Mr Burnham opened the new £26 million Failsworth School when he was secretary of state for culture, media and sport. He also criticised the coalition’s decision to shelf the country’s multi-billion-pound Building Schools for the Future programme — including the new Saddleworth School — and added: “To have that taken away was the wrong decision.”

Roger Shepley, who owns a wool spinning manufacturer in Delph, told Mr Burnham that the VAT rise would make him think hard before taking on another member of staff,

“I feel that the rise in VAT is a poor man’s tax, an unjust tax and the working man will be hit the hardest,” he added.



Question Time tickets

Book your place at tomorrow’s Chronicle by-election Question Time to be held at Denshaw Village Hall (7-9pm).

Oldham East and Saddleworth’s three-way marginal is of national significance and all three of the main candidates Debbie Abrahams (Lab), Kashif Ali (Con) and Elwyn Watkins (Lib-Dem) will be there to answer your questions with polling day only a week away.

Call 0161-622 2130 today — a limited number of places may be available on the night on a first-come-first-served basis.