Tax credit protest taken to streets

SIGNING the petition . . . Ken Rustidge with his son, Alexander, aged three, and Mrs Abrahams

OLDHAM MP Debbie Abrahams took her fight against plans to cut tax credits to the town centre on Saturday.

The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP said working families stand to lose up to £1,300 per year if the Government’s allowed to implement the cuts in April.

Mrs Abrahams is strongly against the cuts with the percentage of children in families receiving tax credits in Oldham up to 82 per cent in some areas - significantly higher than the national average of 55 per cent.

Speaking to the Oldham Chronicle at Saturday’s event, Mrs Abrahams said: “The response we’ve had from the public today has been very positive. A lot of people are not aware of what’s going to happen to them.”

Last week, at an Opposition day debate, Mrs Abrahams called on the Government to reverse its decision to cut tax credits.

“A million single parents in work will be £1,000 a year worse off as a result of these cuts, and one and a half million married women will be £600 a year poorer. Hundreds of thousands of self-employed workers who depend on tax credits do not stand to benefit from the increase in the minimum wage that ministers claim will offset the tax credit cuts.

Currently the Chancellor’s plans for tax credits are on hold following a shock vote by the House of Lords.

Peers backed two motions delaying the cuts following a series of impassioned speeches warning of the impact the changes would have on the poorest families.

Chancellor George Osborne has vowed to take on the House of Lords over the constitutional crisis sparked by the devastating blow to this plans

The Chancellor, who will face MPs in the wake of a double defeat on the reforms, made clear action will now be taken to “rein in” the upper chamber.