Budget is good news for Hackney families and pensioners Meg tells national radio listeners

Meg Hillier joined the panel of national Radio 5 Live programme The Anita Annan Show last week.

Meg, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Hackney South and Shoreditch, was asked to be a studio guest for the two hour show to comment on Gordon Brown’s budget. She gave her reaction to the budget and read out e-mails and text messages from listeners live on air.

‘The budget is good for Hackney’s families and pensioners – and for Britain,’ Meg said, highlighting the fact that many listeners were writing in with praise for Chancellor Gordon Brown’s handling of the economy. ‘I am fully behind these moves which show Labour cares about the vulnerable in our community.’

She went on: ‘Central to the Budget plans are measures to increase the incomes of the poorest pensioners. The pension credit will rise by 13 per cent by 2008, in line with earnings – benefiting 3.2 million pensioner households including many in Hackney South and Shoreditch.

‘Gordon Brown also confirmed that all pensioners are set to receive a £200 refund in council tax which is more good news for Hackney’s pensioners.’

Ms Hillier added: ‘He announced real term increases in child tax credits which is excellent news for Hackney families. It means a family with two children will not start paying income tax until the household income reaches £430 a week.

‘And to help cash-strapped first time buyers, Gordon confirmed he will increase the tax exemption on stamp duty from £60,000 to over £120,000. He is also introducing a shared equity scheme for 100,000 new home buyers. And tax relief on ISA savings accounts will be extended until 2010.

On a lighter note Meg was called on to talk about what food she disliked, how to encourage our children to eat better and how she handled her own household finances.

‘At primary school I couldn’t stand cheese and onion pie and lumpy mashed potato. To this day I cannot eat them!’ she said.

‘The good thing about the budget is that it now means that families do not start paying tax until they are earning over £22,000 a year, thanks to tax credits,’ she said. ‘This is a major boost to families in Hackney.’

Meg will be appearing on the late night show again in the next month.

For further information, please contact Ian Rathbone 07890 654 068 or e-mail ian.rathbone@tiscali.co.uk