Sir Roger Gale
Member of Parliament for Herne Bay and Sandwich (including West Thanet)
 

"Darling’s budget has revealed the truly disastrous state of the nation’s finances and has finally demolished any residual reputation for "prudence" that may once have been enjoyed by the Prime Minister.  Unemployment, with its associated costs, is rising at a frightening rate. In spite of the Prime Minister’s extravagant claims the Country has gone from boom to bust within months and our children and grandchildren will be picking up the bill for very many years to come.
 
The Chancellor has signally failed to address - today - the real issues and solutions and has instead tried to postpone the day of reckoning until after the General Election. This is not an assault on "the rich" but represents an increase in the tax burden upon every family household in North Thanet.
 
The increase in the tax upon beer, against which many of us on both sides of the House have been campaigning, will, unless it is reversed, lead to the loss of hundreds more jobs and the closure of still more public houses.
 
We cannot afford another fourteen months of rudderless administration. We need an election and a change of government now." 

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