I AM sure that the MP for Warrington South, Helen Southworth, strove to maintain balance in her reporting of the budget and its affect on the people of Warrington in her 'Letter from the House' on March 12.

Whilst I very much welcome the copying of Tory economic policy with the reduction of income tax to 22p, it was a shame that it could not come into affect until April 2000, something not mentioned by Mrs Southworth. It is also a shame that the benefit will in part be offset by the abolition of the Married Couples Allowance (a cost to couples of £285 a year) and the scrapping of MIRAS removed the 20p band at the same time. How many people in Warrington who were paying income tax at 20p will now pay it at 23p?

The measures for Pensioners and families are welcome but again by how much will that be ruined by the increased cost of living brought about by the increase in fuel duties? Petrol has gone up to over £3.00 a gallon, which will cost the typical driver more than £180 a year. This is not to mention the rise in Council tax by 4.3 per cent, nearly twice the rate of inflation.

The day after the budget William Hague asked the Prime Minister what impact the Chancellor's three budgets in total would have for the British people. He couldn't answer. Perhaps in her next 'Letter from the House', Mrs Southworth could confirm that after taking into account all the Chancellor's measures so far, the tax burden will rise, costing the average taxpayer £1500 during the lifetime of this Parliament. This is despite an assurance from her leader at the last Election that he had no plans to raise taxes at all.

We lost the trust of the people on tax. New Labour vowed to restore it. We have learned a painful lesson which New Labour themselves will experience; when the people of Warrington and in the country at large, realise by how much New Labour have let them down.

JAMES R. USHER

Deputy Chairman (Political)

Warrington South Conservative Association

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