It’s good news . . . so why are they downplaying it? asks Constable

Tuesday 23rd October 2007, 12:00AM BST.

MINISTERS have been accused by Town Constable Simon Crowcroft of trying to play down an ‘embarrassing surplus’ of £38m to head off the protest against GST.

He says that the comments attach-ed to today’s Budget have been ‘toned down’ so that ministers can hold a high line when the debate on delaying GST rolls around next month. The Constable, who is up for re-election in December, has lodged a proposal attached to a 19,000-strong petition – the biggest in CI history – to stall the May start date for the 3% sales tax. The size of the £38m surplus is only referred to once in the 28-page draft Budget statement released today, and did not appear in Treasury Minister Terry Le Sueur’s foreword or the attached press release.

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