By William Mills
Labour’s Nancy Platts, has welcomed the news that Labour will scrap the bedroom tax if elected in 2015.
Nancy Platts, the candidate in Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, had campaigned against the tax because she had met people who were terrified of losing their homes because they couldn’t afford to pay.
Nancy said: “Tory MP Simon Kirby should be ashamed that he voted for the bedroom tax which left over 400 people in Brighton Kemptown living in fear of losing their home. People who have lived here for many years were told that they must pay up or move out. The vast majority were not offered alternative accommodation and people were left feeling frightened and vulnerable.
Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, will on Saturday commit the next Labour government to repealing David Cameron’s bedroom tax, and announce he and Ed Balls have already earmarked funds to pay for it.
Speaking in Brighton at the start of the Labour Party conference, Mr Miliband said the Bedroom Tax has become a symbol of an out of touch government standing up only for the interests of a privileged few.
“One Nation Labour is meeting here in Brighton talking about the most important issue facing families in Britain: the cost of living crisis. “Under David Cameron life is getting harder and harder with prices rising faster than wages in 38 of the 39 months that he has been in Downing Street. And working people are an average of almost £1,500 a year worse off under his government.
“But we have a Tory-led Government which listens only to a privileged few. Tax cuts for millionaires and tax breaks for hedge funds.
“I am leading a different Labour Party, a One Nation Labour Party, which listens to and will stand up for ordinary families.
“The bedroom tax – not what the Tories call the spare room subsidy – the bedroom tax: a symbol of an out of touch, uncaring Tory government that stands up for the privileged few – but never for you.
“So we will scrap that tax. That’s what a One Nation Labour government will do. That’s a party that will fight for you.”
