Opinion, Watford Observer, 14 December 2025 Watford Tory chairman launches stinging attack on Labour | Watford Observer
Benefits do not come free. Claimants are in effect asking that family, friends and neighbours who are working must handover some of their hard-earned money to them.
For those genuinely in need, social welfare benefits are essential and none of us would begrudge paying taxes to support claimants who, through no fault on their own, cannot be self-reliant.
We face an enormous problem though. The welfare bill is getting out of control. Back in the 1980s, about 40 per cent of people received more than they paid in. The number is now over 53 per cent. A majority of the population now take out more than pay in.
Hard-working families must pay the price. That was the message of Rachel Reeves' budget: taxes are going up to pay more benefits to more people.
The rhetoric might have been about taxing those “with broad-shoulders” as if she meant just a small number of super-rich individuals. But, as she refused to increase tax thresholds in line with inflation, what she actually meant was ordinary hard-working families must pay more. A quarter of workers will soon be paying the highest income tax rate. 780,000 people who previously paid no income tax at all will soon be taxed for the first time.
Overall taxes are being increased by £26 billion. Britain faces a higher tax burden than at any time since the 1940s. This is a disaster for the economy.
Our Labour MP needs to explain to all the hard-working families of Watford why he thinks they should pay more in tax, despite the cost of living crisis, to pay for a welfare budget his government are letting get out of control.
Stephen Woodard
Chairman, Watford Conservatives
