Bury campaigners welcome scrapping of tax credit cuts

Campaigners in Bury St Edmunds have welcomed yesterday’s announcement from George Osborne that planned cuts to tax credits are to be scrapped.

Last month single mum Heather, who wants her surname withheld, spoke to the Bury Free Press after joining campaign group 38 Degrees in calling on the Government and Bury MP Jo Churchill to stop the controversial cuts.

But in his Autumn Statement on Wednesday, just weeks after the House of Lords voted to delay the cuts, the Chancellor announced he was to abandon them altogether.

Kahra Wayland-Larty, a campaigner at 38 Degrees, said: “This is fantastic news – and it’s a shining example of people power winning out against the odds. It should send a clear message to politicians that 38 Degrees members are ready to stand up for what we believe in.

“38 Degrees members all over the UK have contributed to this campaign success. From signing petitions, to meeting our MPs, to sending letters, emails and making calls asking them to do the right thing and stop the cuts.

“This win has made a difference to so many lives. It means that millions of hard-working families who were dreading the impact of the proposed cuts, can now breathe a little easier.

“It seemed impossible, but ordinary people worked together to tackle the powers that be on an issue they cared about, and won. This is a proud moment for 38 Degrees members up and down the country.”

Mother-of-two Heather, from Bury, who receives £96.23 a week in child tax credits, said: “I am obviously very pleased about the Government’s decision about tax credits, although I’m concerned that they are going to cut funding to Local Government instead.

“I am wondering why they don’t target multinational companies like Google and Amazon to get them to pay fair taxes instead of targeting the poor.”