Nothing much in Budget for Westminster residents - Liberal Democrats

12.27.45pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 26th Apr 2009

This week's Budget delivered little for local people, says Naomi Smith - the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for the Cities of London and Westminster

The Budget will do nothing for ordinary residents of Westminster, who have been clobbered by rising food, fuel and transport prices, local Liberal Democrat have said.

The Budget was criticised for failing to give much needed help to those struggling in recession by refusing to back Liberal Democrat calls to cut income tax by £700 for the vast majority of people.

Commenting, LibDem parliamentary candidate for the Cities of London and Westminster, Naomi Smith, said:

"With the cost of putting food on the table, heating our homes, water bills and transport all rising, local people here in Westminster haven't been given any practical help by the Government.

"People who aren't on huge salaries are noticing more and more of their cash is being swallowed up on the basics. Gordon Brown should be putting money back into their pockets by following LibDem proposals and cutting £700 in income tax off the tax bills for the vast majority.

"Britain's taxes are too heavy on those who can least afford it and too easy to avoid for those who know how.

"Labour has run out of ideas and out of steam. This Labour Government has condemned us to years of unemployment and a decade of debt. The country deserves something different. It deserves something better."