A Grand Pledge! - The Liberal Democrat £1,000 promise to the average household in Edinburgh North & Leith

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 1st Oct 2007

Liberal Democrat plans would see the average household in Edinburgh North & Leith £1,000 better off

That's the message of recently revealed Lib Dem plans to cut the basic rate of income tax by 4p. This would take the basic rate of income tax to just 16p, benefiting those on middle or lower incomes. Thousands of people across North Edinburgh and Leith would find themselves better off. With the average family in Scotland saving £1000 per year, this new tax cut is no drop in the ocean.

Local campaigner Kevin Lang has welcomed the proposals, "For far too long, the Labour government has let the gap between rich and poor grow wider and wider. Hard working local people are fed up of being overcharged on their tax bills."

The new proposals also come in the wake of revelations that under the Labour government, the gap between rich and poor has widened dramatically. The top 20% of households now pay less tax, than the bottom 20%.

It is proposed that the Lib Dem tax cut would be paid for by shifting the tax burden to those on very high incomes and those with environmentally damaging behaviour.

"It is obvious that this Labour government, with Gordon Brown as Chancellor, and now as Prime Minister, does not care about people who are on low wages. All the tax breaks are given to the rich. We need a fairer, simpler, greener tax system", commented Kevin Lang.

This 4p cut in income tax is part of the Liberal Democrat's 'Green Tax Switch', which aims to rebalance wealth, as well as encouraging greener behaviour through tax breaks for those who live in an environmentally friendly way.