Following the vote by the House of Lords on Monday to delay the proposed cuts to Working Tax credits, the Isle of Wight Labour party now urge MP Andrew Turner to “tell his Chancellor to change, or better, abandon these cuts”.
Deb Gardiner, Constituency Chair, said,
“Now we have made the MP aware just how many thousands of hard-working Island families will be hit by these cuts, we now call on him to do the right thing by these constituents and pressurise Osborne to drop his plans altogether.
“Surely Mr Turner cannot continue to turn his back on those people who are working hard to provide for their families.”
Labour’s Group Leader, Councillor Geoff Lumley added,
“The fact that is has been left to the unelected House of Lords to stand up for hard working but low-paid people tells you all you need to know about the priorities of the Tory Government. The Government must now realise just how out of tune it is with public thinking.
“Andrew Turner must finally find a voice and urge Osborne to rethink – or explain to the thousands of Islanders who will be worse off as a result of this savage cut why they are the ones bearing the brunt of this Government’s damaging obsession with austerity.”
Green support
Vix Lowthion, from the Isle of Wight Green Party, has today shared a letter of thanks sent to Lord Bishop of Portsmouth, Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay, Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone, Lord Fowler of Seaview and Lord Grade of Yarmouth.
She said,
I wish to express gratitude on behalf of many families on the Isle of Wight for Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay and Lord Bishop of Portsmouth’s support to block government plans for Tax Credit cuts in debate on Monday (26th October 2015).
The Isle of Wight has some of the most deprived communities in the country, with 28% of children living in poverty. Tax credits are given to working families to assist them with the rising costs of living and to keep them in employment. To remove this financial support for hardworking families before any clear mechanism is put in place to increase wages would have had devastating consequences.
I note that Lord Bishop of Portsmouth spoke in the House of these cuts being “morally indefensible… punishing … and blatantly threaten damage to the lives of millions of our fellow citizens.”
Thank you so much for speaking out in this debate. It has been noted and much appreciated. My children have met Bishop Christopher on a couple of visits at school and I know they have formed a warm impression of his compassion and humility. I look forward to meeting you on a future occasion.
Island MP in favour of tax credit cuts
Isle of Wight MP, Andrew Turner, voted against the recent Labour motion to defer the cuts to Tax Credits.
Image: jasonwharam under CC BY 2.0
