EXCLUSIVE: Prime Minister Gordon Brown writes for the Wirral Globe (From Wirral Globe)

EXCLUSIVE: Prime Minister Gordon Brown writes for the Wirral Globe

1:44pm Friday 10th July 2009

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THE PRIME Minister has written an exclusive article for the Wirral Globe.

Gordon Brown writes that he will not walk on by and leave readers "to fend for yourselves as governments did in previous recessions."

"I wanted to take this opportunity to reassure you that my main priority is to stand up for people on middle and modest incomes, supporting you and your families through tough times."

Gordon Brown

He says that Wirral West MP Stephen Hesford came to speak to him about what the Labour Government was doing to help people on low incomes.

When Mr Brown cut the basic rate of income tax to 20p, whilst removing the old 10p rate, some said not enough had been done to help lower income households.

One outspoken critic of the abolition of the 10p rate is Birkenhead MP Frank Field.

Earlier this week, spearheading a Commons cross-party bid to secure compensation for everyone left worse off, Mr Field had said: "This is the last chance for Labour MPs before the General Election to deliver justice to the 10p losers."

Here is Mr Brown's article in full:

BRITAIN is facing challenging times and I know that on the Wirral many families and pensioners are worried about their jobs, homes and household budgets.

You are being buffeted by a global economic storm not of your making – a crisis caused primarily by irresponsible bankers far removed from your daily lives.

In times of great change, the very wealthy are able to look after themselves, but the rest of us need the strength of a community around us.

So I wanted to take this opportunity to reassure you that my main priority is to stand up for people on middle and modest incomes, supporting you and your families through the tough times.

We will not walk on by and leave you to fend for yourselves as governments did in previous recessions.

Last week local MP Stephen Hesford came to speak to me about what the Labour Government was doing to help people on low incomes.

Some had said that when we cut the basic rate of income tax to 20p, whilst removing the old 10p rate, not enough had been done to help lower income households.

But when you take account of the increase in tax allowances, tax credits, the Minimum Wage and other payments, the vast majority of people are better off.

Despite the severe downturn, we still want pensioners to enjoy their retirement.

They have contributed enormously to the prosperity of this country during their working lives and are often linchpins in their communities – many, for example, help out as unpaid childcarers.

This year, the single state pension has increased by £4.55 to £95.25 a week – the biggest rise since 2001.

There has also been the largest ever increase in Pension Credit and the Budget announced an increase in the savings disregard element.

Winter Fuel Payments have risen for this year to £250 for the over 60s and £400 for the over 80s.

Pensioners also received an extra £60 as part of last year’s Christmas bonus to help with food and fuel costs over the winter, and they can get help to cut heating bills through the Warm Front scheme.

These will all make a very real difference to the purses and wallets of pensioners on the Wirral.

Meanwhile, to provide additional help for low to middle income families the Chancellor Alistair Darling made changes last May and November which have already cut tax bills by up to £145 a year for thousands of families on Merseyside.

Labour’s national minimum wage has gone up beyond inflation, as has Child Benefit and support for children through the Tax Credit system.

The real help the Government is offering to support the economy right now will also help families and individuals - the temporary cut in VAT, for example, is worth more than £20 a month on average to households.

All local families benefit from the public services we are investing in.

Just one example is the new Children’s Outpatient Department at Arrowe Park Hospital. It is opening next Monday and I know your MP Stephen Hesford is looking forward to celebrating with you all.

Thanks to campaigning from him and other Labour MPs, we have also just announced a huge boost to investment in affordable housing.

And with unemployment rising due to the global recession, our priority must be to protect those in work, while offering real help now to get people back into jobs and stay in their homes.

And our efforts to boost apprenticeships and training is ensuring we equip people for the years ahead.

We are on your side and the most important thing we can do for people on middle and modest incomes is to steer the economy through the recession, to keep investing in public services and to equip people with the skills they will need for the jobs of the future.

That’s why we launched Building Britain's Future - our plan for a fairer, stronger and more prosperous society for all.

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