Female MPs angered by plans to scrap tax relief

London: Gordon Brown is facing a revolt among female Labour MPs over his controversial plans to axe tax relief on childcare.

A powerful coalition of former ministers wrote to the prime minister warning that the measures would penalise those on low incomes. The group, led by former health secretary Patricia Hewitt, accused Brown of removing an "effective and popular" benefit from hardworking families.

The letter also warns that Brown risks a backlash in crucial marginal seats if he presses ahead with the plans which benefit more than 330,000 families.

Earlier this year, Brown announced that Labour would abolish childcare vouchers, which provide tax relief for working families. A family on the basic tax rate, where both parents claim the tax relief, could lose up to £1,924 (Dh7,910) a year. Those with incomes over £43,000 could lose out by £2,390.

Brown has pledged that the money from phasing out the vouchers will go towards providing 250,000 two-year-olds from "modest or middle incomes" with ten hours of free childcare a week in five years.

He has claimed that the scheme disproportionately benefits higher rate taxpayers, with around a third of the tax relief going to those who earn more than £43,000. He claimed that families were using childcare savings to pay for horse-riding lessons.

However, the decision has triggered protests from working mothers, many of whom say they will no longer be able to afford to work if the vouchers are scrapped.

Commons motion

More than 70 MPs, including 43 Labour, have signed a Commons motion opposing Brown's plans. More than 75,000 people, mostly women, have also signed a Downing Street petition lambasting the decision. The petition is now the highest ranked on the No 10 website.

In their letter, the MPs accuse Brown of using out-of-date figures and warn that three-quarters of those who will lose the tax relief are basic rate taxpayers.

The signatories include former education secretary Estelle Morris, former chief whip Hilary Armstrong, former children's minister Beverly Hughes, former women's minister Meg Munn, former Europe minister Caroline Flint and former transport minister Sally Keeble.