UK voters see tax rising after election
Tuesday, 3 May 2005British voters believe taxes will rise whoever wins Thursday's election, but more see a tax hike if Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour Party wins a third term as polls predict, building society Nationwide said today.
Just over half (51%) of those asked in a survey said they expected to pay more tax under a new Labour administration, compared to 42% after a Conservative victory and 44% if the Liberal Democrats came to power.
Many economists say Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown's economic plans rest on over optimistic revenue projections and he will need either to raise taxes or borrow more.
Only 3% of those asked by the monthly Nationwide Consumer Confidence Report thought taxes would fall under a re-elected Labour government, compared to 19% under the Conservatives and 10% under the Lib Dems.
The survey, which questioned 1,000 people between March 21 and April 18, also found voters putting more trust in Labour's handling of the economy. 60% said a Labour victory would either improve or have no impact on the economy, compared to 49% for the Conservatives and 50% for the Lib Dems.
