No re-think on tax change - Hutton - News in brief

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Mr Hutton acknowledged that there was deep unhappiness among Labour MPs who feared that many workers on low wages - particularly those without families - would lose out.

But he said that it was not possible to go back on the change announced by Gordon Brown last year in his final Budget as Chancellor.

"I really don't think it is possible to do that. We have made the decisions now on the Budget. This package of measures was voted on and debated last year," he told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show.

He said that the tax change had been part of a "balanced package" which cut the main rate of income tax by 2p to 20p, and which left families with children "significantly better off".

For those who did lose out, the scale of the losses was relatively small, he said.

"We are talking in the worst case scenario about half a per cent of net income being the scale of the maximum loss that someone might have," he said.

Overall, he said that those on low incomes had gained over the decade that Labour had been in power. He added that it was now up to ministers to argue the case for the changes that had been made.

"There are concerns about this. They have been raised with ministers. Obviously it is right and proper that ministers engage in a debate with our concerned colleagues about this."