pyoor_excuse

An open letter to the PM

I must admit that while I take a fair interest in politics, to a degree through self interest, but also through a desire for a unified and evidence based approach to the environment, I hadn't really been watching the political (and more importantly) the tax situation that carefully.

And therefore this is, to some degree, an issue I should have been aware of - and indeed preparing for. But then it wasn't so hugely advertised, and politician's depressing practice of spinning news rather than providing information may have contributed to my failure to notice. But the abolishion of the 10p tax rate has left us (my partner and I) facing a dramatic shortfall in our finances.

Both of us; sadly; are foolish to work in the public sector. I am a nurse, and my partner is a teaching assistant. While your delightful government ministers are paid a miserly £61,000 (which must make it awfully difficult to cope), our *combined* salary weighs in at a substantial 35,000 (that's with me working nights and weekends).

Only, thanks to your tax changes, we suddenly find that almost £80 a month has suddenly vaporised. And while you harp on about the over 60's on low wages, you seem to have forgotten those under 60. Those who don't get winter fuel allowances, and in the case of my partner, those without recourse to public funds. In other words, you've taken a huge chunk of our not substantial funds, and we can't get them back.

The only thing for us to do is to:
(a) stop working for the public sector (my plan).
(b) work more hours (we're both trying to do that).
(c) stop eating healthy ethical food and switch to supporting child slavery and human rights abuses (we're trying to avoid doing that).
(d) leave.

Thanks so much, and remember it's not just people over 60 who vote.

As a side point; I used to care about working in the NHS, now I only stay there because the NHS is the only place I can do the job I want.... until we leave this country taking the skills of a trained specialist nurse, and an incredibly talented TA with us.

Yours, annoyed as hell.

Kate.