Sweet truth?

TASTE test . . . Sue Avery, owner of Cisse Barlow’s Traditional Sweets Shop sells sweets to Debbie Abraham and Alan Johnson during the Labour campaign trail around Shaw

Ex-postie backs Debbie to deliver...

SHADOW chancellor Alan Johnson slammed the VAT rise when he dropped into Shaw.

The former postman was in town to back Labour candidate Debbie Abrahams in the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election.

The pair met with shopkeepers and residents to discuss issues including the VAT increase, unemployment and police cuts.

Mr Johnson said: “There are three things to consider about the VAT rise — broken promises, fiscal fundamentals and hitting the poorest the hardest.

“It is the wrong time for an increase when we are looking to get momentum in the economy. The Government is going to increase national insurance by 1 per cent in April — on top of the VAT.

“Of all the taxes that are here forever, this is the tax that takes £1 out of every £7 for poor people and £1 out of £27 for richer people.”

Sue Avery, owner of Cisse Barlow’s Traditional Sweet Shop, said: “People are upset about the VAT rise and if incomes goes down and expenditure goes up then it can be very worrying.”

During the visit, Mr Johnson also aired his views about the lack of protection for police funding. He added: “We would have cut police overtime, introduced better procurement and concentrate on getting crime down — and keeping it down. To cut so many police officers is ludicrous.”

With regard to unemployment, Debbie said she wanted to see more people being successful in local manufacturing industry and hoped to see many people employed when the science park opens in 2012.

The pair expressed their frustration at the Future Jobs Fund being cut, an initiative aimed at getting 18-24 year-olds into work.

Mr Johnson added: “Debbie will deliver. She’s a mother who understands, she’s from this area, she knows this area and she will fight for this area. I can’t ask for a better candidate.”

During the trail, Shaw resident Aileen Kramer told them: “I’ve always been a Lib-Dem voter but I feel absolutely sold out so I am changing camps now.

“Lib-Dems promised what I believe in but they haven’t delivered at all.”