According to research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research the average family this year is £400 worse off thanks to Gordon Brown and the Labour Government. The doubling of the ten pence tax rate, the increases in car taxes and hikes in Council Tax have all hit hard working families and individuals hard.

I accept that the Government cannot control everything that happens in the world economy but there are things it can do to lessen the impact. Sadly, instead of helping hard-working families out, Gordon Brown and Labour have decided to burden them with even more tax rises.

Worst of all, they have decided to hammer the poorest families and workers the hardest.