16/03/09 - Labour's Business Rates Hikes Condemned

At a time when our country is in recession, our Labour MPs, Michael Wills and Anne Snelgrove, are claiming to be doing all they can to help local residents and businesses survive and saying that this is a "global problem".  Unfortunately, despite their protests, this is far from being the truth.

From April 1st, the failing Labour government is dealing a hard blow to local businesses at the worst possible time by hiking business rates by 5%. The chancellor acknowledges this and refuses to do anything, but can find plenty of money to continue bailing out the banks.

From the same date, the Labour government will end an exemption which allows schools, hospitals, charities and the financial sector to employ temporary workers without paying VAT on their wages.  Under the new rules, they will have to pay VAT at 15 per cent on the wages of all temporary and agency workers they take on. The Government is sleep-walking into creating a tax on jobs at the worst possible time. 

Cllr Dale Heenan
Coleview, Covingham & Nythe Ward
Swindon Advertiser Letters Page 16/03/09