Authenticating Jack Dromey's Bedroom Tax plege

Ahead of Saturday's rally in Bedford Square, I wanted to authenticate a comment I've seen mentioned on Twitter, so I've been in contact with Liam Byrne's office

From: Cllr Paul Bull [mailto:paul4cowick@aol.com]
Sent: 11 March 2013 21:15
To: BYRNE, Liam
Cc: DROMEY, Jack
Subject: [BEDROOM TAX] Authenticating a quote

Dear Liam

We meet awhile ago campaigning in Exeter

I noticed last week you retweeted a message that linked to a Bristol Echo / thisisbristol article reporting Jack's visit to Bristol last week 

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Bedroom-tax-inflict-pain-thousands-Bristol/story-18313212-detail/story.html#axzz2NFqZ0ubu

The article quotes jack as saying

"he pledged to tear up the bedroom tax if Labour is returned to power"

Is this true as I've not seen this in any briefings or quoted in any other media

Can we quote this at the rallies at the weekend?

Many thanks

Paul

Cllr Paul Bull

Labour and Co-operative Councillor 

Cowick Ward/Exeter City Council

This is the response from his office 

Liam has asked me to respond on his behalf. Here is the best response to the question “what would Labour do”.

Hope this helps for this weekend – let me know if there’s anything else we can help with.

People can’t wait until the election for this hated tax to be dropped – it needs to go now.

Labour has been clear on our opposition to this - we forced votes on the Welfare Reform Bill to introduce safeguards that would have stopped anyone from being affected unless they refused, for no good reason, an offer of appropriate accommodation nearby.

Labour’s proposal would have helped to solve under-occupancy, without making people homeless or pushing them into expensive private rented accommodation, which will cost the taxpayer more.

Labour will set out our tax and spending plans at the time of the next election, but we are clear on our opposition to the tax, and we would never have brought it in if we were in power.