TORY TAX PLANS DON'T ADD UP - BURT

10.53.56pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 13th Aug 2007

Commenting on the proposed Tory policy to cut taxes for business, Solihull's Liberal Democrat MP, Lorely Burt said:

"Before the last election, we had a similar report from the Conservatives claiming they would cut taxes by £15bn a year. That report, on closer inspection, amounted to totally fictional savings. I have little doubt that these plans are more of the same.

"Certainly there is a need to get rid of the government waste and red tape which constrains many local businesses, but there is no avoiding the need for tough choices on tax. You can't offer tax cuts, still promise investment on public services and not explain to people where the money will come from.

"Only the Liberal Democrats believe that taxes are too high for the majority of families across Solihull. That's why we propose a cut of 4p in the basic rate of income tax, the abolition of Council Tax, and switch to taxing pollution instead. So the more you choose to switch to greener living the more money you will save.

"The Conservative Party is once again claiming to be able to cut taxes while pretending that no-one will have to pay for better public services, showing that these plans are as spurious as the last lot that David Cameron wrote for Michael Howard."