I WAS disappointed to read the letter from Labour Cllr Nigel Dix (South Wales Argus, 17 Nov) who seems to be criticising the Conservative-led coalition for not putting up taxes to help pay down the deficit.

Many people I speak to in Gwent accept that the economy the coalition inherited from Labour, where the UK was spending more than £100 billion more than it earned in tax receipts every year, was unsustainable.

This Conservative-led Government has made tough decisions to reduce the deficit and restore confidence in the UK economy to secure growth. The UK is now set to be the fastest growing economy in the G7 this year.

The proceeds of growth have been shared between paying down the deficit and supporting hardworking people by increasing the personal tax allowance, scrapping Labour’s planned fuel duty hikes and cutting business taxes.

Few constituents who come to my surgeries complain that the UK government should raise taxes, so I think Cllr Dix may be on his own.

I believe that people should keep more of their own money because they can spend it better than politicians. Ed Miliband’s agenda of more spending, more borrowing and more debt would put the UK’s long-term economic plan for recovery at risk.

Mohammad Asghar AM, Shadow Minister for Equalities & Sport