THE political class just don’t get it, do they?

Ed Balls has declared that a hedge trim or car wash should be treated the same way as a more formal purchase. He declares that people doing odd jobs "are not going to be VAT-registered" - all the while admitting that he himself hasn’t always treated purchases this way.

He is seeking to tax every drop he can from hard-working people, not only seeking to grab yet more of their hard-earned money but also bury them under yet more red tape and paperwork.

But the fault doesn't lie with the people, it lies with the politicians.

They should simplify the tax system, deal with the VAT mess, ensure big corporations pay their share and create a system where the rich can't evade tax and expect to avoid prosecution.

Unlike Ed Balls and his Labour Cabinet colleagues, not everyone is a millionaire: many people need odd jobs to make ends meet and feed their families.

Of course, they should pay their taxes.

But asking the local ice-cream van for a receipt so we feel like "we're all in it together" isn't going to solve the problem, and it might just be a tad patronising to the working people Labour used to care about, Mr Balls.

Jonathan Arnott MEP, Ukip, North-East.