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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| More Scots firms 'oppose NI rise' | More Scots firms 'oppose NI rise' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Conservatives have said that more than 100 Scottish businesses have now signed up to oppose Labour's planned increase in National Insurance. | The Conservatives have said that more than 100 Scottish businesses have now signed up to oppose Labour's planned increase in National Insurance. |
| The party's Treasury spokesman, George Osborne, revealed the figure on a visit to a key Tory target seat. | |
| He was at Bradfords Bakery in Thornliebank, East Renfrewshire, where Tory candidate Richard Cook, hopes to take the seat from Labour's Jim Murphy. | He was at Bradfords Bakery in Thornliebank, East Renfrewshire, where Tory candidate Richard Cook, hopes to take the seat from Labour's Jim Murphy. |
| Voters will go to the polls on Thursday, 6 May. | Voters will go to the polls on Thursday, 6 May. |
| Under Labour plans, NI contributions for both employees and employers would increase by 1% from April 2011. | Under Labour plans, NI contributions for both employees and employers would increase by 1% from April 2011. |
| The Tories have said that they would scrap the rise for employees earning up to £35,000. | The Tories have said that they would scrap the rise for employees earning up to £35,000. |
| Seven out of 10 families in Scotland will be better off under a Conservative government George OsborneTory Treasury spokesman | |
| Employers would also see no rise for staff earning £20,800 or less. | Employers would also see no rise for staff earning £20,800 or less. |
| Mr Osborne conceded that the Tories would increase National Insurance but it was going to "avoid the really damaging part" of Labour's planned rise. | |
| He added: "We can't avoid the whole NI rise so people who are earning pretty high salaries have still got to pay it - people earning over £44,000/£45,000 have got to pay it, but people earning under that will not pay as much as under Labour. | |
| "Seven out of 10 families in Scotland will be better off under a Conservative government. | |
| "More to the point, we are going to keep jobs, create jobs instead of killing jobs which is what Gordon Brown's tax involves." | |
| The Conservative Party believes the backing they have had from 100 Scottish businesses is proof that throughout the UK there is strong opposition to the Labour proposal. | |
| Mr Osborne said during his bakery visit: "Labour's jobs tax is going to kill the recovery and here in this bakery they say that the National Insurance rise will mean people working shorter hours which means less take-home pay for Scottish families." |