Further taxation reform needed, says TUC

Date: 1st December 2008

Further taxation breaks are needed to help lower earners, according to the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Speaking at Salford Business School, general secretary of the congress, Brendan Barber, believes that the government must also clamp down on taxation loop-holes which only benefit the "super-rich".

His comments come in the wake of chancellor Alistair Darling's decision to increase income taxation for the UK's top earners.

Mr Barber said: "The chancellor's announcement signalled a fundamental shift in the political debate in the UK - breaking the taboo that the richest one per cent of the population should never pay more tax."

He added that now the government had made this breakthrough, it has to be bolder in its policy making and further extend taxation relief for low to middle income earners.

Mr Darling's proposed creation of a 45p income taxation band for those earning £150,000 per year or more is due to take effect in 2011.