Conservatives should repay cost of misleading tax stunt, says TUC

The Treasury’s breakdown of how tax revenue is spent by government is a political stunt, the costs of which should be repaid to taxpayers, says the TUC.

The tax breakdown given in tax statements has been criticised by the Institute for Fiscal Studies for labelling a quarter of all spending ‘welfare’. The Institute says that this includes areas such as public service pensions and social care, whereas only 14 per cent of public spending is on working-age benefits – and much of this is spent on people in work.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The Conservatives have been caught blue-handed using tax payers’ money for party political campaigning. They should now be made to pay the full costs of this stunt.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

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