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Labour aims to keep coalition up all night over VAT rise
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor12 Jul 2010
Labour is to stage an all-night Commons assault tomorrow in a bid to delay the Government's VAT rise.
The Opposition will force a vote on the move in an effort to exploit Lib-Dem worries over the impact of the emergency Budget on the poor.
The Standard has learned Labour whips aim to use guerrilla-style tactics to keep the debate on the Finance Bill going through the night.
Shadow chancellor Alistair Darling and shadow chief secretary Liam Byrne have tabled a string of amendments to the Finance Bill, including a halt to the VAT rise until after the Treasury produces impact assessments on the poorest and pensioners.
The “impact assessment” was the subject of a similar amendment tabled this month by Lib-Dem MP Andrew George, but which was never put to a vote.
The Finance Bill is one of the few pieces of legislation that cannot be guillotined for debate. The tax rise from 17.5 per cent rate to 20 per cent will bring in £13 billion a year.
Reader views (4)
Why not guillotine it like NewLaborinth did with almost every impotent act during their 13 distinctly dubious and Machiavellian years?
- John, St Albans, 12/07/2010 15:40
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Don't believe for one single millisecond that Labour have the concerns of the "poor" and "pensioners" at heart.
Every action they take is politically, rather than socially, motivated.
They want to disrupt the coalition and try and paint themselves as the good guys, to increase their chances of getting back into power. That is their sole aim; they don't care about the people they pretend to represent, only their own glory.
I guarantee you that if Labour had remained in power they would've raised VAT too, but because they're not in power they have to pretend that they wouldn't, and claim to be sticking up for the little guys.
Don't believe a word these creeps say. They got us in this mess, now they're trying to make things more difficult for everybody solely for political gain. Labour disgust me.
- Steve, London, 12/07/2010 15:39
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We've had 13 unlucky years of this negative, churlish politics, why would a very desperate political group change now?
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 12/07/2010 15:24
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If the devious parasites in Nu£ieBore had not put the UK in debt to the tune of £3,700,000,000,000.00, there would not be any need to increase VAT to 20%.
- Reuben Camara, Plot 1, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 12/07/2010 15:00
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