I WRITE in response to the letters which have appeared in the BEN over the past few weeks written by the serial Labour Party letter writers in this town who are trying, once again, to pull the wool over the eyes of the people of Bolton regarding this Labour Government's record on taxation.

Before coming to power, Labour sought to portray themselves as a low tax business-friendly party. Tony Blair, himself, said: "We have no plans to increase tax at all."

Since the Election, Labour have systematically betrayed that clear pledge. They have tried to deceive the public by holding down income tax while seeking to hide the massive tax hikes in other, often less easily noticeable, areas.

Overall, taxes are rising by £40.7 billion over the lifetime of this Parliament. That is £1,500 per taxpayer.

The list of Labour's stealth taxes must begin with the massive increases in petrol and diesel tax. Under this Government, 72p of every pound spent on petrol goes back to Gordon Brown.

It is a tax against the motorist and against business, which affects us all.

Tax Increases have also been seen in road tax, stamp duty, tobacco tax, gaming duty, insurance premium tax and national insurance for the self-employed and middle-income earners; there has been an increase in tax on savings and tax on the self-employed.

Pension funds are now taxed, as are charities and energy use by manufacturers; and let us not forget also the tax relief schemes that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown decided were past their sell-by dates:

Married couples' allowance was abolished as were MIRAS; tax relief on private medical insurance for the over-65s was abolished as were dividend tax credits for non-tax payers and capital gains tax retirement relief. One of the most upsetting results of all this has been that businesses have been particularly badly hit. Does this Government not realise that they are attacking the job creators, the very people who create wealth and in turn create more money for the Treasury?

Just look at what Gordon Brown did in the last Budget -- he increased stamp duty, mostly hitting commercial properties, increased fuel duty; changed double taxation relief, hitting UK-based multinationals; and introduced a new aggregates tax, hitting the construction industry.

So, Schmid, Page, Holding and Co, I am afraid to tell you that under this Labour Government we are all paying more in taxation, and, if you won't believe me, then perhaps you'll listen to someone a little closer to home.

Ken Livingstone acknowledged: "We haven't increased the top rate of tax and the standard rate of tax but we have increased a lot of other taxes ... I just think it would have been better to have honestly told people beforehand."

D Greenhalgh

Chairman of Bolton North East Conservative Association

Higher Bridge Street

Bolton