Conservatives should be focusing on helping those on low and middle incomes - Mackintosh

9.34.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 11th Apr 2010

Commenting on the National Insurance row which has blighted the opening days of the Conservative and Labour campaigns Fred Mackintosh, prospective MP for Edinburgh South, said, "It is all very well for the Conservatives to parade the signatures of millionaire businessmen around in support of their uncosted national insurance cut, and promise tax breaks to specific married households, but the reality is it will do little to help the majority of low and middle income families. Across Edinburgh hundreds of families have been let down by Labour's economic mismanagement and are struggling to make ends meet yet would not qualify for the marriage tax break.

"Under Liberal Democrat plans there will be no income tax on the first £10,000 you earn - this will put £700 back into the pockets of millions of people on low and middle incomes, and free 3.6m more from having to pay any income tax at all.

"The tax change will be paid for by introducing a mansion tax on properties worth over £2m, closing loopholes that benefit the wealthy and making sure airlines pay for the damage they cause to the environment.

"Rather than flaunting their ideas to big business the Conservatives should be focusing on helping those on low and middle incomes."