———   SHAUN BAILEY WRITES TO KEIR STARMER URGING HIM TO “DEMAND” SADIQ KHAN SCRAPS HIS “BOMBSHELL” COUNCIL TAX HIKE

In response to Keir Starmer’s speech regarding council tax and his warning about the consequences of raising council tax during the pandemic, Shaun Bailey has written to Keir Starmer urging him to help “give nine million Londoners the security they need” and “demand” Sadiq Khan scrap his council tax hike.

Sadiq Khan on Friday 8th January 2021 made the shameful decision to hike Londoners’ cost of living with a major tax increase – hitting Londoners at a time when many are suffering from the economic implications of the pandemic.

Shaun Bailey, Conservative Candidate for London Mayor, said:

“ Keir Starmer promised to lead a party that protects family budgets through lockdown. But his own Mayor of London announced a council tax hike of 10% in the middle of lockdown.

This is twice the amount that Starmer called ‘absurd’ and a ‘bombshell’ — making Starmer’s promise look like more hypocrisy from Labour.

As the leader of Sadiq Khan’s party, Starmer can tell Sadiq Khan to start supporting families through lockdown by demanding he scrap his council tax hike.

So I’m calling on Keir Starmer to live up to the promises he made and give nine million Londoners the security they need.”

Shaun Bailey letter to Keir Starmer IN FULL:

Keir Starmer,

In yesterday’s Sunday Telegraph, you warned about the consequences of raising council tax in the middle of a pandemic.

You said that when people are struggling to make ends meet, a tax rise of 5% would hit family budgets and pile even more pressure on hardworking people.

Unfortunately the situation in London is worse.

Last week, Sadiq Khan announced his decision to increase council tax by 10% — twice the amount you called ‘absurd’.

So on behalf of struggling Londoners, I’m calling on you to act.

As the leader of Sadiq Khan’s party, you can demand that he supports hardworking people and scraps his tax hike.

This would go a long way towards your aim of having Labour help ‘families through the current lockdown’ and protect ‘family budgets’.

Yes, the final decision rests with Sadiq Khan. But nearly 70,000 Londoners have called on him to scrap his tax hike — and so far, he has refused to listen. Your voice could be the decisive one.

So while you call on the Prime Minister to ‘give families the security they need’, you can be the person to help give nine million Londoners the security they need.

I hope you follow through on the promises you made just yesterday. And if I can be of any assistance in coming up with an alternative plan to raise revenue, I stand ready to help.

Yours sincerely,

Shaun Bailey

Conservative candidate for Mayor of London