Ed Balls on pasty tax vote & "flaky" chancellor

By William Green on Apr 18, 12 11:58 AM

Ahead of a Commons vote on the pasty tax, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said: "These botched changes show how out of touch George Osborne is with ordinary families and businesses. We will be voting to force the Government to think again."

"The Government is putting a tax on pasties and other hot food without thinking through the consequences for businesses.

"And this price hike on a regular household purchase comes at a time when households are already feeling the squeeze from the Governments tax rises and cuts which have left families with children an average of £511 a year worse off this year alone."

"The Chancellor who many saw as the political brains behind this Government has shown himself to be decidedly flaky in the last few weeks. And as his budget unravels it becomes ever clearer that he has no plan for jobs and growth to get our economy moving"

Older/Newer

« Will there be any Lib Dem MPs left in the North East? | Killer blow for elected mayor of Newcastle? »

Professor Paul Younger - on a Newcastle University project harnessing the city's geothermal energy
My postings | My feed

Will in Whitehall - The Journal's Political Editor on life at Westminster
My postings | My feed | Twitter

Nicola Weatherall - Education Reporter Nicola Weatherall is training for the London Marathon.
My postings | My feed

Brenda Boyd - the life and times of a morris dancer
My postings | My feed

Hannah Davies - on family matters
My postings | My feed

Write Said Fred - A view of the world from three feet
My postings | My feed

Adrian Pearson - The Journal's Regional Affairs Correspondent with a look behind the scenes of North East politics
My postings | My feed | Twitter