Survey Highlights Impact of Recession in the Inch

Edinburgh South Liberal Democrat Westminster Spokesperson Fred Mackintosh has conducted a survey of fifteen hundred households in the Inch.  The key result being that more than 80% feel less economically secure this year than last.  The survey was delivered to 2101 homes between 3 and 17 August this year.   “The recession is having a real impact in South Edinburgh” says Fred Mackintosh “We wanted to see how job losses and price rises were effecting a community like the Inch.  It is very clear that people feel less secure as the economic downturn bites.”   When asked about the impact of the economic crisis on their family; 80.4% of those responding fees less secure than they did at the same time last year.  Despite press reports of ‘green shoots’ 63.3% of those in work feel less secure in their job than in 2008.   The official Consumer Prices Index was just 1.8% up in July following on from many months of low inflation rates in recent years.  However,  those who responded to the Liberal Democrat survey 71.4% reported noticing a significant rise in prices in the shops.   Local Councillor Conor Snowden commented, “It is important to remember that prices of fuel, food and heating are increasing faster than other prices.  This clearly means a bigger impact on those on lower incomes and our survey shows that.”   A key question in the survey was whether respondents had lost money when Gordon Brown increased the tax rate on those on low incomes by abolishing the 10p tax rate.  44.7% of those who responded had loss money in that change.  In contrast 87.5% supported Vince Cable’s plan to stop people paying tax on the first £10,000 they earn.   Fred Mackintosh said, “This survey confirms the response I have been getting across Edinburgh South.  The recession is impacting on those on low incomes badly and the Labour Government’s tax changes are not making things any easier.  People want a change and the general election can’t come too soon.”