Tuesday 24th February 2009

Nicola Blackwood

Blackwood calls for responsibility on the economy

Nicola Blackwood writes directly to her constituents:

'Every day now I am being contacted by local residents worried about the economic downturn and uncertain about their future. The Conservatives have promised measures to help victims of the recession. We will:

• Abolish income tax on savings for basic rate taxpayers and raise the pensioners' personal allowance by £2,000 to £11,490.

• Get credit flowing and save jobs with a £50 billion National Loan Guarantee Scheme.

• help small businesses with cash flow by delaying VAT bills for six months.

• Freeze council tax for two years by cutting wasteful Government spending.

• Get companies hiring again through reducing employment costs for small businesses by cutting National Insurance, and through a tax break for new jobs.

And over the long term we will get the public finances back under control with an Office for Budget Responsibility so no Labour Government can ever bankrupt this country again.

As your parliamentary candidate I will not wait until an election to try and help, along with George Osborne, Ken Clarke and the Shadow Treasury Team, I am pressing the Government to act now to put these policies in place.'