GILBERT - BUDGET A STEP FORWARD FOR CORNWALL

4.16.08pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 22nd Jun 2010

Stephen Gilbert, MP for St Austell & Newquay, who has campaigned for fairer funding in Cornwall, has welcomed the Coalition Government's first Budget as a 'step forward' for Cornwall and the country.

The budget included many Lib Dem manifesto commitments, including a £1,000 increase in the income tax personal allowance, a rise in Capital Gains Tax for higher rate taxpayers to 28%, and bringing pensioner poverty to an end through restoring the earnings-link for state pensions from April next year.

Commenting, Stephen Gilbert said:

"This is a tough but fair Budget, which will help end the legacy left to the country by the Labour Party's mishandling of the economy.

"It puts money in the back pockets of thousands of hardworking Cornish families. But, I will be keeping the pressure on to ensure that it also delivers fair funding for Cornwall's services."