RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans has praised the tax cuts announced by the Prime Minister in his speech to the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

David Cameron pledged that the government would raise the personal tax allowance to £12,500 and that the 40p income tax threshold would be raised from £41,900 to £50,000 if the Conservatives won the general election.

Mr Evans said: “The measures announced by the Prime Minister will make a real difference to people’s lives, not just in the Ribble Valley but nationally. The raising of the personal allowance will take one million people out of tax altogether and give a tax cut to 30 million more.

“It will now be the case that someone working 30 hours a week on minimum wage will pay no tax whatsoever.

“This is the real way to improve people’s living standards, rather than gimmicks on energy prices or indeed the politics of envy.”