THE TELEGRAPH: VAT will rise and benefits will be cut to wipe out Britain’s budget deficit within five years, George Osborne has announced.
The Chancellor used his emergency Budget to announce that VAT will rise from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent from January 4.
He will also cut £11 billion a year from benefits and welfare payments.
High-earners will be hard hit by the measures. Anyone earning more than £49,700 a year will be almost £1,600 a year worse off, Treasury figures indicated.
The average earner will be £400 a year worse off.
Mr Osborne said the wide range of cuts and tax rises were needed to pay off the deficits Labour ran up.
“This is the unavoidable Budget,” he said.
“It is tough but it is fair. I am not going to hide hard choices from the British people.
He added: “Today, we take decisive action to deal with the debts we have inherited.”
He insisted that all income groups will share in the pain to come. “When we say we are all in this together, we mean it,” he said. >>> James Kirkup, Political Correspondent | Tuesday, June 22, 2010
