Ahead of crucial debate in Parliament today (20th October 2015) research by the House of Commons has revealed that in the constituency of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland 7,200 families claiming tax credits could be hit by the cuts.
Labour will be leading an opposition day debate on tax credits and is seeking cross-party support on the vote to help avert deeply damaging cuts to the incomes of low and medium paid working people across Britain.
Ahead of the debate Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, Tom Blenkinsop, said:
“Tax Credits, set up by the previous Labour Government, were designed to ensure that work pays. Cutting them undermines the value of work, and means penalising those who work hard day after day just to get by.
“I don’t doubt that a number of those 7,200 families in my constituency, identified by this research, will have supported the Conservatives at the General Election in May and I suspect that was largely because of promise that the Tories would not cut tax credits. Rightly, many families will feel betrayed by these cuts which will leave working families £1,300 a year worse off.
“Instead of helping working people, the Tories are pushing through changes which will hit working families in the wallet.”