Like everyone else in the country, residents of West Dorset are suffering from rocketing food and energy prices.

The government’s own figures show that bread is up by a fifth, butter and eggs by over a third, and potatoes by over a quarter.

West Dorset Parliamentary Candidate Sue Farrant recently joined forces with the Lib Dems’ Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable MP to highlight the real increase in the cost of living.

Groceries Up Over a Quarter

They discovered that a supermarket basket of basic groceries which cost less than £10 last year, now costs over £12 - a quarter higher!

“People are feeling the pain of the credit crunch and rocketing prices,” said Sue Farrant. “The government is doing too little, too late to help people get through the hard times. Their main concern seems to be with saving the fat cats and the greedy banks and not with ordinary families.”

Lib Dems Back Tax Cuts

“We need to put money back in the pockets of people who are struggling to make ends meet. Liberal Democrats are calling for a 4p cut in the rate of income tax, paid for by increasing taxes on pollution and closing tax loopholes used by the rich,” added Sue. Rich Should Pay Fair Share

“For too long the rich have used tax loopholes to avoid paying their fair share - whether it’s claiming 40% tax relief on their pensions or paying low capital gains tax. The Liberal Democrats would end these abuses. We would also get tough on unnecessary and wasteful government spending and use some of the money saved to cut taxes even further for those on low and middle incomes. Energy companies should be forced to use their billions of extra profits cut bills and fight fuel poverty.”

And Axe Council Tax Too …

Liberal Democrats have renewed their calls to scrap the Council Tax.

“The Council Tax is the unfairest tax of all,” says Lib Dem Councillor Andy Canning. “Those on low incomes have to spend far too much of their salaries on this tax. Those on fixed incomes, such as pensioners, face increases every year that are higher than the increases in their pensions! This is not right or fair.”

In spite of claiming that they would keep bills down, Conservative-run Dorset County Council have put up the Council Tax by more than inflation year after year after year!

“No amount of reform will make this tax fair,” added Cllr Andy Canning. “Only its abolition, and replacement with a local tax based on ability to pay, will work. Only the Liberal Democrats are committed to make this change.”