We know by now that the Tory budget is leading to job cuts, holding back economic growth and damaging the public services we all rely on.  The Tories have broken their promise to be fair –  with tax increases and benefit cuts that will hit hardest at the people who can least afford it.  Their cuts also hit Swindon much harder than neighbouring authorities.

The national budget cuts will affect you, your family and the people around you:

• Growth next year would have been higher and unemployment lower with Labour’s responsible, credible plan to halve the deficit over four years
• Increasing VAT from 17.5% to 20% has lead to higher higher prices in the shops for everyone –  from pensioners to the unemployed
• Cuts to tax credits, and cutting back free school meals are hitting the poor hadest
• Cuts to the disability living allowance reduces help for the jobless
• Freezing Child Benefit for the next three years affects young families hardest

The equation is simple the more people lose jobs the less tax is collected and the harder it is to pay back the deficit incurred to bail out the bankers and the capitalist system.

Yet the bankers make massive profits and bonuses.

These cuts will affect you, your family and the people around you.

The cuts have also had a disproportionate effect on Swindon, where money from the Government has been cut by £1.4 million, while wealthier neighbouring Councils get away with smaller or even zero cuts:

• Bath – a cut of only £1 million
• Oxford – a cut of only £0.75 million
• Gloucester – a cut of only £0.65 million
• Stroud, Forest of Dean , Vale of the White Horse – no cuts at all

Yet our two new Conservative MPs have been telling voters for years that Swindon got a bad deal under Labour compared to other authorities.

Will they now apologise for failing to stand up for Swindon?

Victor Agarwal,  Labour Parliamentary Candidate, May 2010

Caption: Victor with Lord Wills, who when MP for Swindon fought successfully for many Government grants and special schemes for Swindon.

Related posts:

1. Joe Tray gives facts on how much VAT and the Swindon budget cuts will cost YOU
2. Jobs Cuts Will Rock Swindon Economy
3. Tory Budget is cutting away fairness and hitting the poorest hardest
4. Youth bear brunt of Swindon budget cuts
5. A municipal socialist’s view on Swindon budget Cuts