Harriett Baldwin under fire after voting for stealth tax rise

The Liberal Democrats have criticised Conservative MP Harriett Baldwin for voting to hike taxes for people on low and middle incomes this week.

The vote on Tuesday was in favour of the freezing income tax thresholds, which are the point at which someone starts paying the basic rate of tax at £12,571. This will add to the tax bill of anyone earning above this amount and drag more low earners into paying tax. By 2028, a basic rate taxpayer will be paying around £566 more a year than if the threshold had been increased in line with inflation.

The Liberal Democrats have labelled the decision to hike taxes on families as "unfair" and "unaffordable" for people across our area. They have argued that the government should reverse tax cuts for banks, which are estimated to cost a staggering £18 billion over the next five years, and use the money to help hard-pressed families and pensioners instead.

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for West Worcestershire Dan Boatright said:

"Harriett Baldwin has let our community down. While the Conservatives government clobbers low and middle earners and starves our public services, they are disgracefully slashing taxes for the big banks.

"The Conservatives have trashed the economy and are now making families in our area pick up the bill.

"I know many people in West Worcestershire, who are already struggling, and will find these huge tax rises unfair and unaffordable. The public will be rightly furious that the cost for the government's incompetence and chaos is falling on them.

"The Liberal Democrats have put forward plan after plan to help people with bills, housing costs and collapsing public services. We will stand up for people in West Worcestershire, who are sick of endless chaos and incompetence under the Conservatives."