Tax cuts for the rich – water charges for ordinary people

Written by We Won't Pay Campaign Thursday, 29 April 2010 14:36

Assembly parties attacked for planning to impose water charges

The parties in Stormont were today accused by anti-water charges campaigners of attempting to widen the gap between rich and poor for “planning to introduce household water charges while seeking to cut taxes for big business”.

Pat Lawlor of the We Won’t Pay Campaign stated

“All the parties in the Executive are arguing for a huge cut in Corporation Tax which will amount to hundreds of millions of pounds every year being awarded to big business. At the same time they are planning to introduce an annual average water charge of £400 on householders even though we already pay for water through the rates.

The criticism of the Assembly parties comes after a recent statement by Minister for Finance Sammy Wilson referring to water charges on the BBC that "we have got to make sure when they are introduced, they are introduced on the basis of fairness."

Mr. Lawlor added “Water charges have nothing to do with investment in the water service. Charges are inextricably linked to the privatisation of the service which will lead to profiteering at the expense of ordinary people.

“The We Won’t Pay Campaign is continuing to campaign against the introduction of water charges in any form and will organise a mass boycott of the charges if introduced.