Ex Lib Vannin Leader Hits Out at Treasury

Liberal Vannin’s Southern Branch has claimed Treasury Minister, Alex Allinson is ‘trying to bring in aggressive policies from the Tory United Kingdom’.

In a letter shared with Gef, the branch said: ‘Mr Allison needs to be looking at the issue of the environment that business has to operate in’.

Branch Chair, Peter Karran said: ‘It’s not the cost of employment that is the problem, it’s all the other costs. Such as the high costs of using our publicly-owned Steam Packet Company, bought at a ridiculous price. Also, the fact that government will not address the issue of the costs of commercial rents on this island which are completely out of touch with what would be comparable in the United Kingdom.

‘If we’ve got to find ways of cutting costs then we shouldn’t be looking at the poorest in our society to pay the costs. This is not about left or right politics it’s about being fair and just. It’s barely possible to be able to rent in the private sector and live reasonably even on the proposed living wage rates.

‘When are we going to see this government looking after the interests of the many, instead of the vested interests of the few? Economic success is about how you look after the weakest in your society, not how you let off those who can afford to pay, not to pay fair taxes for a decent quality of life for all. I suggest that Doctor Allinson tries to exist on the living wage, or even better, the current minimum wage. Let’s start to see the freedom to flourish for all.

‘Government should be making the environment for commerce to flourish. Yet they seem to be the biggest factor of cost to small business on this island at the present time, either through their own costs passing on to a business or allowing monopolies to push up costs against the interests of our struggling small businesses.

‘The Liberal Vannin Party’s Southern Branch hopes we can be united on a single front of all decent people who are struggling to make ends meet on low wages. If a stand is not made here we will follow the sad state of play in the United Kingdom where big businesses are subsidised through wages kept low and people having to get benefits on top of their wages in order to exist. Large corporations are making record profits, which should be taxed to help ordinary folk through this cost of living crisis.’

In response to Mr Karran’s letter, Dr Allinson said: ‘I am not sure which “aggressive policies” I am accused of trying to bring to the island but look forward to the full engagement with the Manx people through the public consultation on the draft Economic Strategy to then be debated at November Tynwald and the ambitious Tynwald Conference in September which will bring politicians, businesses and our people together to discuss the future for our nation.’