Foster takes Axe the Tax to No.10

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 16th Jun 2004

Don Foster MP takes the Bath Axe the Tax petition to No.10 Downing Street.

Bath's MP, Don Foster, has delivered a petition to the Prime Minister, calling for Council Tax to be scrapped.

The petition, which included over thousand names from Bath residents, calls on the Government to replace Council Tax with a fairer local income tax.

Commenting, Don said,

"Ever since Michael Howard's despised Poll Tax was hastily replaced with this incredibly unfair system, local people have seen their Council Tax bills soar -especially under Labour.

"Clearly these increases have really highlighted to people how unfair Council Tax actually is, especially when the poorest 10% of the population pay four times the amount of council tax than the richest 10% - as a proportion of their income.

"I'm delighted so many people have supported this campaign, they've sent a strong message to Tony Blair that Council Tax must go. It is unfair, expensive and pays no attention to people's ability to pay.

"Again, we see the Lib Dems being the only party that has realistic answers to the Council Tax problem."

ENDS.