Last week I met with Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable and discussed the economic problems facing the North East. The Lib Dem proposals to  help take 4 million low paid people out of paying tax, including many pensioners is at the centre of our proposals for the next election, and I will be campaigning with your Lib Dem  Parliamentary candidate Carol Woods to get this message across.

It is a disgrace that someone on the minimum wage must pay hundreds of pounds in income tax and is an illustration of the Labour government’s failure to make our society fairer.