It is obscene that a pensioner couple in this area with very modest savings can pay more council tax than Mr Blair is liable for on 10 Downing Street.

Two letters last week highlighted the unfairness of the council tax. Mr Davie made the point that the low paid and many elderly people are particularly hard hit by double figure rises in council tax.

As Mr Parker pointed out, a tax based on the value of property replacing council tax with local income tax at 3.75 per cent would cut the tax burden overall for most pensioners and households.

Using the national income tax system to administer local income tax would give a net saving, after Inland Revenue extra costs, of at least £300 million per year.

Why LIT? Because it is fair, efficient, allows decentralisation and greater accountability and it is a tried and tested system.

On January 17 we handed out leaflets and collected signatures to a petition calling for the abolition of council tax in Devizes, Calne, Melksham, Marlborough and Ludgershall. We will be out again in Devizes today and elsewhere on Saturday.

Sign our petition, make your protest heard. Let's 'Axe the Tax' together.

F Hornby

Devizes Liberal Democrats

Marden

Devizes