THIS is indeed a bleak day for millions of people as VAT rises to a massive 20 per cent.

Once again, the Tories have increased the tax, just as Mrs Thatcher did after the 1979 election.

This time, David Cameron has been aided and abetted by the Lib Dems, who before last year’s election ran a poster campaign warning that the Tories would increase VAT.

The only party to have reduced the tax is Labour which has done so twice.

It did so last year to help boost the economy and since 1997 every household has gained from a reduction of 12.5 per cent on fuel bills.

Malcolm Pratt Chester-le-Street.