Tackling the Cost of Living in the Countryside

Labour has unveiled policies  to tackle the cost of living in the countryside.The Party’s candidate for Bridgwater and West Somerset, Mick Lerry, says rural communities are suffering badly – with incomes falling while prices spiral upwards.

Mick said: “Wages in rural areas have fallen in real terms by £1,300 between 2010 and 2012 . And  rural households have to spend  £2,700 more on everyday goods, compared to those in urban areas. 

“The Government has failed to tackle the rising cost of household energy, water and transport . And it has failed to  build new affordable homes, protect rural bus services or keep the roll out of broadband on track. .”

The next Labour government will  tackle the rural cost of living crisis in our rural communities by:

·         Bringing off grid energy such as oil under the control of the new energy regulator that we will set up in 2015.

·         Delivering earlier Winter Fuel Payments to those pensioners who are using off grid energy.

·         Cutting and freezing business rates for small and medium sized businesses, on premises  with a rateable value under £50,000.

·         Abolishing the bedroom tax which has an even greater effect of displacing families and disrupting communities in rural areas.

·         Transferring £75 million from the Government’s ‘super-connected cities’ programme into a digital inclusion fund, so that businesses and people in rural communities can learn how to make the internet work for them.

Mick Lerry said “ The Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency includes  many rural communities – some of them among the most remote in England. People living in our villages have been let down by the Tory-led coalition government.  Labour would reverse the policies that have left so many people struggling to make ends meet.”

Cllr Mick Lerry

Leader of the Labour Group on SDC

Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Bridgwater and West Somerset

 

email: michael.lerry@btinternet.com

mobile: 07775 905080