Farron wins vote to give tax cuts to help south Lakeland families

2.09.57pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 16th Sep 2008

Hard pressed families in South Lakeland would benefit from tax cuts thanks to a new policy from the Liberal Democrats.

Local MP Tim Farron played a key part to convince Liberal Democrat conference delegates yesterday that the Party should help people struggling with the cost of rising prices by cutting taxes for everyone who isn't rich.

Following the debate, comments from delegates on political blog sites suggest that it was Tim's stirring speech that swung the vote in favour of tax cuts. Tim won huge applause from the audience as he urged delegates to think of the plight of people in South Lakeland whose incomes have remained static while energy, fuel and retail prices have rocketed.

Conference delegate and leading Lib Dem blogger Stephen Tall commenting live from the debate said; "Tim puts forward, forcibly, the argument that tax cuts for the poor is about social justice, and notes that a woman in his constituency on £7k pays £2k in tax. "Labour tax cuts have always been about comforting the comfortable, ours are about lifting the poorest out of poverty". I'm discovering today what those who attended the rally on Sunday learned: Tim Farron is a terrific speaker. We should hear more from him, I feel."

Later on Lib Dem delegate Bernard Salmon from Inverness summed up the general consensus heard in the bar that night; "I agree with the comment made about Tim Farron's speech being excellent - that was what finally swung it for me to vote for the leadership position."

Speaking after the debate, Tim said: "As I travel around the communities I represent over this summer, time and time again people's major concern was whilst their incomes are static, their outgoings have rocketed. I was determined that the Liberal Democrats would offer people in South Lakeland real help at this incredibly difficult time. I'm delighted that we are now the only party who are giving people who are not rich a tax cut."

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Read some of the comments about Tim's speech.