A SOUTH Essex MP has spoken of the struggle with his conscience as he has joined a rebel pact against the Government.

Thurrock MP Andrew Mackinlay is one of 35 Labour MPs who signed a rebel motion from former minister Frank Field, challenging Prime Minister Gordon Brown's decision to scrap the 10p rate of income tax.

The scale of support for the amendment puts Mr Brown's 67-strong Commons majority at risk next Monday.

Mr Brown told the Parliamentary Labour Party about the changes, promising he had listened to concerns over the impact on the poorest workers and would "sort out" the problem by the autumn.

Mr Mackinlay said it was too important an issue to ignore.

And he slated senior Government members for failing to consider the impact on rank and file Labour supporters fighting local elections in England.

He said: "I have picked up the concern of Thurrock residents about this issue when supporting our candidates and I feel it is right to speak up. I know I have the support of Thurrock Labour Party."

As many as 5.3 million households - many of them low-income workers without children - could lose around £3-£4 a week as a result of the change, announced by Mr Brown in his final budget as Chancellor last year and coming into effect this month.