It's hurting

The Tory-led Government is hitting people across the country hard through their reckless cuts which go too far and too fast. Yet at the same time they have chosen to cut taxes for the banks this year.

Did you realise that:

• The VAT rise will cost families with children £450 this year alone
• Tax credits and child benefit will be frozen from April
• Petrol prices are soaring with the VAT rise adding 3p per litre
• Economic growth has stalled
• Unemployment is rising again – now at a 17 year high
• Nearly 1 million young people are now out of work 

But it's not working

George Osborne’s decision to cut too far and too fast has threatened the already fragile economic recovery.
Ten wasted months in office and this Government still has no plan for growth.

We need a plan that puts jobs and growth first. Getting more people into work and the economy growing strongly again is the best way to get the deficit down.

If you want to find out more about the impact of the Budget and learn more about the economy -

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LOCAL LIB DEM MP BACKS A FINANCIAL SQUEEZE ON RESIDENTS

Deputy leader of the Welsh Lib Dems and local MP  Roger Williams last night backed a financial squeeze for Brecon and Radnorshire residents.

Labour MPs called on the government to reverse the VAT rise on fuel but it was rejected by the Lib Dems and Tories. The VAT rise on fuel could be reversed immediately using the extra £800m from the bank levy. At the Budget the Chancellor should look again at the annual fuel duty rise due in April. The last Labour government often postponed planned duty increases when world oil prices were on the up - as they are now.

Local campaigner Matthew Dorrance said ‘’Residents in Powys are already feeling the pinch and people in our rural communities rely on their cars to do the school run, get to work and to visit elderly family members. I cannot believe that our MP failed to support them.’’

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls said "At a time when world oil prices are going up, the Tory VAT rise is making things worse.

"It is putting an extra £1.35 on the cost of filling up a 50-litre tank and adding to the growing cost of living for families on low and middle incomes. George Osborne needs to stop dithering and take immediate action to help hard-pressed motorists."

Labour’s Assembly Candidate Chris Lloyd added ‘’Of course over the longer term we need to encourage greater use of public transport and fuel efficient cars. But with the price of a litre of unleaded petrol this week reaching £1.30 George Osborne needs to take immediate action to help hard-pressed families.’’

Cameron should keep his promise on the Military Covenant – Murphy

Jim Murphy MP, Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary, commenting on David Cameron’s failure to keep his promise to enshrine the Military Covenant in law, said:

“I am disappointed that the Prime Minister has not listened to the concerns of the Royal British Legion and the armed forces community. He is carrying on regardless with a policy that does not honour his previous commitment to enshrine the Military Covenant in law.

“The Covenant is being undermined by complacent and rushed ministerial decisions and we will continue to campaign for it to be protected and properly enshrined in law.

“MPs of all parties are questioning the sincerity of this Government’s commitment to the armed forces.

“I urge the Tory-led Government will stop and think again.”

LABOUR SLAMS POWYS COUNCIL TAX HIKE

Labour Councillors in Powys have attacked the decision taken by the Lib Dem and Independent party coalition in County Hall to increase council tax by 2.99%

Responding to a statement issued by the council’s board member for finance, Powys Labour group Leader Coun Sandra Davies said ‘’Yet again, the Lib Dem and Independent party coalition in Powys have proved that they are out of touch with ordinary people in the county.

‘’Just weeks after hiking up social housing rents by over 5%, the ruling parties have placed yet another financial burden on our communities. The Labour group did not support this extra rise and we recognise the need to support our communities in tough times.

‘’Increasing taxes for local people should be the last resort for an authority. Instead, I would seek to share back office resources with other Welsh councils to protect our vital public services and keep the costs to the county's residents low.’’

George Osborne must take immediate action on fuel prices to ease the pressure on families who are already facing a tough year and their incomes squeezed.

Sign up and tell George that he has to...

• Immediately reverse the Tory-led government's VAT rise on fuel - which has added nearly 3p to the cost of a litre of petrol.
• Use the Budget to look again at the annual fuel duty rise due in April.
• Work with other finance ministers to keep the supply of oil flowing and get world oil prices down, especially now.

The VAT rise on fuel could be reversed immediately using the extra £800m from the bank levy. At the Budget the Chancellor should look again at the annual fuel duty rise due in April. The last Labour government often postponed planned duty increases when world oil prices were on the up - as they are now.

Of course over the longer term we need to encourage greater use of public transport and fuel efficient cars. But with the price of a litre of unleaded petrol this week reaching £1.30 George Osborne needs to take immediate action to help hard-pressed families.

Carwyn Warns Of Tory ‘Tablet Tax’

Welsh Labour’s First Minister Carwyn Jones today warned voters faced a “tablet tax” under Welsh Tory proposals.

Conservative AM Mark Isherwood has stated his party would look to re-introduce prescription charges in Wales if it was victorious in May’s Assembly elections.

Speaking after First Minister’s Questions on Tuesday, Carwyn Jones said he was proud of free prescriptions and only a Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government would guarantee they would stay that way.

He said: “This cruel Tory policy is essentially a Tablet Tax. Re-introducing prescription charges will put people off going to the doctor for treatment. No one should be forced to choose between treatment and basic needs like food, water or keeping warm.”

“Other countries such as Northern Ireland and just recently Scotland have followed our lead in abolishing prescriptions charges. This Tory proposal is a backwards move from a backwards party.”

TORIES GAMBLE WITH OUR SAFETY AND THERE ARE LIB DEM FINGERPRINTS ALL OVER IT

The Conservative-led Government has launched a programme of unprecedented cuts to police forces that puts the safety of Mid and West Wales residents at risk.

As part of their risky programme of cuts to frontline public services, police funding is to be cut by an average of 20 per cent nationally over the next four years.

Figures released in January show that crime fell by seven per cent in the year ending September 2010, the culmination of a 43 per cent drop in crime under Labour. Yet the Tory-led Government is risking this progress by cutting police funding.

Dyfed Powys Police face a reduction in its budget over the next four years. The Police Authority Chair of Dyfed Powys Police has predicted this budget cut will mean up to 350 police jobs will be lost which equates to fewer police on the street able to fulfil essential services such as attending emergency 999 calls and dealing with anti-social behaviour. The cuts could also impact on other vital services such as the specialist officers used to deal with domestic violence and prevent child abuse.

Mid & West Wales Assembly Candidate, Matthew Dorrance said “David Cameron and his Home Secretary Theresa May have utterly failed to stand up for the police in the spending review negotiations and Mid and West Wales is now suffering from the consequences of their irresponsible actions.

“We’re likely to see fewer police officers on the streets of Mid and West Wales because of the reckless decisions of the Tories and Lib Dems – these cuts will undermine the fight against crime and they risk the safety of everyone in our community.

To find out more about the impact of cuts to police budgets, please visit campaignengineroom.org.uk/police.