Labour's attacks on middle Britain

Phillip Hammond, the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, has responded to Gordon Brown's new claim to represent aspirational middle classes.

"One minute Gordon Brown's a class warrior, the next he is a friend of middle Britain", Hammond said. "The idea that a man who has spent his whole career at war with the middle classes can be their champion is laughable".

Hammond highlighted how Gordon Brown has taxed Middle Britain:

• He’s repeatedly hiked national insurance, hitting middle Britain again and again.
  
• He imposed a £100 billion pensions stealth tax.
  
• He hit first time buyers with a £1,500 rise in stamp duty.
  
• He imposed 111 tax rises.

"Middle Britain won't forget that it was Gordon Brown who destroyed their pensions, increased their taxes and crippled social mobility", he added, as he cited a number of examples of how Middle Britain has suffered under Labour:

• Fewer people getting on to the housing ladder.
• Fewer first time buyers.
  
• Declining social mobility.
  
• Children from wealthy backgrounds are four times more likely to go to university.
  
• Parents unable to work because childcare costs are too high.
  
• Lack of school choice.
  
• High levels of anti-social behaviour.
  
• High levels of violent crime.
  
• Sharp decline in pensions.
  
• Record youth unemployment.
  
• Harder to start a business.