Prime Minister’s speech will make life tougher for hardworking families, says TUC

Commenting on David Cameron’s speech to the Conservative Party conference today (Wednesday) TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “If David Cameron were the leader of the trade union for hardworking people he would be thrashed in his next election for delivering the longest and deepest living standards cut in living memory.

“And the policies announced this week will make things worse. The Chancellor promised to take cash from the working poor to pay for tax breaks for the richest pensioners.

“And the Prime Minister’s tax plan is all about help for the better off. Raising the personal allowance and the higher rate tax threshold both help those well above poverty levels. Many minimum wage workers already pay no income tax and even those that do are likely to lose more from benefit changes and from continuing to pay higher VAT.

“No amount of dressing up can hide the fact that the policies in this speech pass by those who need the most help to reward richer voters. RIP compassionate Conservatism.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:  
- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews
- On Saturday 18 October the TUC is organising Britain Needs a Pay Rise – a national march and rally in London to call for an economic recovery that delivers for everyone, and for fair wages to help end the living standards squeeze. For more information on the campaign go to www.tuc.org.uk/economic-issues/britain-needs-pay-rise

Contacts:
Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen   T: 020 7467 1388    M: 07778 158175    E: media@tuc.org.uk
Tim Nichols   T: 020 7467 1337   M: 07876 452902   E: tnichols@tuc.org.uk