Broad Support grows for 50p tax amendment

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 17th Sep 2006

Support for the 50p tax amendment at Liberal Democrat conference is growing according to its backers. New supporters of the amendment adding 50p to the tax package which will be debated on Tuesday (19th September 2006) include several MPs and peers.

The amendment received more nominations from local parties and representatives than any other amendment submitted or selected for debate.

Dr Evan Harris MP, who proposed the amendment, said:

"More and more people now recognise that the 50p top-rate amendment makes the tax package even fairer, makes our intentions much clearer and builds on the proposals rather than simply harking back to our 2005 manifesto policy."

END

Notes to Editors:

1) MPs and Peers now supporting the amendment include:

Sandra Gidley MP

John Leech MP

Norman Baker MP

Mike Hancock MP

Phil Willis MP

Baroness Jenny Tonge

Peter Black AM

Others to be announced.

2) The proposal was nominated by Oxford West & Abingdon, Greater Reading, West Worcester and 33 Conference Reps. Considerably more nominators than the other amendment.

3) The Amendment that Dr Evan Harris MP is proposing to the party's tax motion:

F28 Fairer, Simpler, Greener (Tax Reform Policy Paper)

Pararagh 2 first line

Delete 'without introducing a 50% tax rate income tax' and substitute

'in relation to income as well as wealth' by:

Add a new paragraph 2c

'Introducing a 50% marginal rate (combining Income Tax and 1% National Insurance Contributions) on earnings over £150,000 per year, and using the revenue to raise the starting threshold for income tax further towards our goal of £10,000 per year and taking 300,000 more people out of tax altogether.'

Paragraph 4a

After the words 'ability to pay' continue the sentence:

'with such local income tax to be capped at an income of £150,000 per year.'