10p Tax rate - dozens of Labour MPs set to make 'average constituent' pay more

4.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 28th Apr 2008

More than 50 Labour MPs will make their average constituent pay more income tax if they vote to double the 10p tax rate today, Liberal Democrat research shows. In total there are 58 constituencies where the average constituent would lose out by the abolition of the 10p tax rate, with 51 of them held by Labour MPs. MPs will debate the decision to scrap the lowest, 10p tax band later amid concerns that despite the promise of concessions, many low earners will still lose out.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable said "Labour MPs have a stark decision to make. Either they vote with the Government and make millions of low income workers worse off or they vote with their conscience. The Chancellor's supposed concessions of last week will not make a blind bit of difference to the millions are ready feeling the pinch from Gordon Brown's tax grab. Labour MPs must not give in to the Chancellor's bribes and half promises."