Isitfair Campaign Press Release - 16 Mar 2005
Isitfair dismisses Chancellor's pre-election bribery
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ISITFAIR CAMPAIGN FOR THE REFORM OF COUNCIL TAX
For further press information, please contact: Christine Melsom on 01428-712680 or E-mail c@isitfair.co.uk
16 March 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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COUNCIL TAX CAMPAIGNERS DISMISS CHANCELLOR'S PRE-ELECTION BRIBERY
IsItFair campaigners have dismissed Gordon Brown's Budget announcement of a £200 Council Tax refund for over-65 pensioner households as blatant pre-election bribery.
Christine Melsom, founder of the UK-wide IsItFair Campaign, had this response to Chancellor Gordon Brown's Budget on behalf of protesters across the U.K.
"The Chancellor's announcement of a £200 refund for pensioners is an obvious attempt to buy pensioners votes. Whilst we are fully aware of the difficulties faced by many pensioners, and welcome any help for them, there was no help with Council Tax for the many hard working families who have struggled for years to keep up with the relentless inflation-busting hikes in Council Tax.
"The Labour Party and the Conservative Party are out of touch with public opinion. The solution is not about making the best offer to pensioners, whether it's £200 from Labour or £500 from the Conservatives. We want a fair system for EVERYONE.
"Council Tax is a regressive tax whatever age you are - the less income you have, the higher the percentage of your income you have to pay in Council Tax. The first essential step must be to stop using property value as the basis for the tax. Fiddling around with refunds or discounts will not tackle the root cause of the problem.
"The IsItFair Campaign has always been for people of all ages, not only pensioners. We want a fair system for everyone that takes account of their ability to pay, and you will not achieve that by tinkering with the present system which is based on property values."
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For further press information, please contact: Christine Melsom on 01428-712680 or E-mail c@isitfair.co.uk
Issued by IsItFair Campaign, Headley, Hampshire GU35 8PJ
NOTES TO EDITOR
IsItFair is a UK-wide, non party-political campaign for the abolition of the existing property-value based system of Council Tax, and for its replacement by a fairer system based on individual ability to pay.
The campaign represents people of all age groups (not only pensioners) who are unfairly affected by Council Tax.
You can find more information about the IsItFair campaign at www.isitfair.co.uk