Press Association
Tuesday 6th January 2009
Leaders of Labour's 10p tax rebellion have urged Chancellor Alistair Darling to find £1 billion in Monday's Pre-Budget Report to help those who lost out when the starting rate of income tax was abolished.
Mr Darling was forced to offer tax cuts worth £2.7 billion to stave off a backbench revolt over the 10p change earlier this year, but six million people are still worse off overall.
Former minister Frank Field and fellow-rebel Greg Pope have written to the Chancellor urging him not to forget this group in a PBR which is expected to feature tax cuts designed to inject some vigour into the ailing economy.
Mr Field said: "The Labour backbenches will not abandon the poor who have still not been compensated. It is a Rubicon they will not cross, and at a time the Government has found £50 billion to bail out the bankers, the Treasury can surely find £1 billion to ease the resentment of our core voters."
