David Whitton MSP said:

“You deserve to know where your Member of Parliament, Jo Swinson, stands on the unfair VAT rise, which is set go up to 20% in January.

“So it would be wrong for the Tory Lib Dem Government get this rise through without a vote in the House of Commons.

“I’m demanding from the Government that MPs get a vote on this issue. My Labour colleagues at Westminster have pledged to vote against the VAT rise which is unfair - hitting everyone, including pensioners and those on middle and low incomes.

“The deficit needs to be reduced. But it needs to be done fairly. At the election the Labour manifesto had a plan to reduce the deficit by half over four years.

“Labour oppose this unfair VAT rise and will vote against it at Westminster if given the chance. During the election campaign, the Conservatives repeatedly criticised our plans to raise National Insurance Contributions and denied they would increase VAT.

“The Lib Dems, including Jo Swinson, campaigned against raising VAT but now in power they have abandoned their principles. If she votes in favour of 20% VAT Jo Swinson will be letting down her constituents in East Dunbartonshire.

“The Tory-Lib Dem Government has made the wrong choice. The increase in VAT that the Conservatives and Lib Dems said we wouldn’t see is unfair. That’s why I’m urging everyone in East Dunbartonshire who objects to the 20 per cent VAT rate to get in touch with Jo Swinson to let her know how they feel.”

Source: David Whitton MSP http://www.davidwhittonmsp.org.uk/  (9/7/2010)