Cippenham campaigner Robert Plimmer welcomes Lib Dems' lead in the fight against Tory cuts to tax credits for hard working families

Cippenham campaigner Robert Plimmer said:

"Millions of hard working families would be badly hit by the plans from the Tory Government to make savage cuts in tax credits. These plans would make many of those on low incomes over £1,000 a year worse off.

"At the same time as they are proposing this the Conservative Government are also giving massive tax cuts to millionaires. It does not seem right to be making low paid workers suffer in order to boost the wealth of those who already have loads of money.

"I'm pleased that it is Liberal Democrats who are leading the fight against the Tory cuts to tax credits. When the proposals first came to Parliament in summer 2015 all the Lib Dem MPs voted against them. The Labour Party was in such a mess that their MPs didn't know whether to support or oppose the measures. So they abstained. This left only the Lib Dems to stand up for hard working families.

"Then when the proposal came to the House of Lords on 26 Oct the Lib Dems wanted to stop the cuts altogether but Labour would not support the Lib Dem motion. In order to ensure some action was taken against the Tory plans, the Lib Dems then also supported the Labour proposal to slow the cuts to tax credits. This was better than doing nothing, and working together has, at least, forced the Tory Government to slow the cuts.

"When the Lib Dems were in Coalition Government with the Conservatives we were able to block many of the most extreme Tory policies such as these plans to cut the incomes of many working families. Now the Tories have an overall majority on their own they are introducing many extreme policies.

"I know many people in Cippenham and throughout Slough will be pleased that the Lib Dems are leading the fight against the extreme Tory policies."