Local MP leads national campaign to scrap Council Tax

2.10.03

Kingston and Surbiton's MP, Edward Davey, last week launched the national Liberal Democrat campaign to scrap Council Tax at the Party's Conference in Brighton. He was joined by pensioners from all over the country in a demonstration against the most unfair tax in Britain. Edward Davey MP called on the Government to abolish the tax that penalizes those on low income, including pensioners and students.

Throughout the country there have been popular revolts against Council Tax. Discontent with the Government is growing and pensioners in Kingston and Surbiton have raised this issue many times with Edward Davey MP, prompting him to take the lead for the Liberal Democrats and voice the concerns of the elderly and those on low incomes throughout the country. The new policy is expected to play a key part in the Liberal Democrats general election campaign.

Edward Davey commented

"Many of my elderly constituents have expressed their concerns and fears to me over this issue, the pensioners of Kingston and Surbiton are being crippled by this grossly unfair tax. How can it be right that the poorest pensioners pay six times more of their income in council tax than the richest non-pensioners? This is scandalous.

"Council tax as a share of the basic state pension has been rising over the last 10 years. Last year state pensions were increased by just 2.6% but council tax across the country increased by 13%. The government must sit up and take notice of our pensioners.

"The Council Tax takes no account of a person's income and their ability to pay tax. So a pensioner couple, living on a meagre income, can pay as much in Council Tax as a high earning professional couple. The poorest 20% of pensioners pay nearly 6 times more than the richest 20% of non-pensioners, as a proportion of their income."