Howarth defends Lib Dem tax plans
January 24, 2005 5:00 PM
Parliamentary Spokesperson David Howarth has denied that a Lib Dem government would mean the average taxpayer pays more. Replying to a letter in a regional newspaper, the Cambridge Evening News, Howarth branded Conservative spending plans "a concoction of bizarre fantasies", saying the Lib Dems would introduce fairer and simpler taxation.
"The Liberal Democrats are proposing to increase income tax to 50% on income above £100,000 - to fund free personal care for over 65s, the abolition of all higher education tuition fees, and to support local government services.
The Lib Dems are campaigning for the unfair council tax to be axed
"A local income tax, based solely on ability to pay, is obviously fairer than council tax. Since the same amount has to be raised either way, and local income tax will be cheaper to collect (because it will use the Inland Revenue's systems instead of hundreds of separate council bureaucracies), the average bill will be slightly lower."
Responding to Tory criticisms that the Lib Dems are soft on crime, Howarth replied "we will not legislate to prevent the imprisonment of burglars. We see domestic burglary as an offence against the person. But we will make sure that prisoners do not just rot in jail. We will ensure that they get themselves at least a rudimentary education, so that they have the means to live honest lives when they come out."
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