Politicians attack ‘heartless’ Budget
Renfrewshire’s SNP politicians have rounded on Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget, with one claiming it’s“heartless”.
MP Gavin Newlands made the accusation following the Chancellor’s announcements on Wednesday.
He insisted the Budget was out of fashion – being good for bankers and big business and bad for the poor.
Meanwhile, his Holyrood colleague Tom Arthur MSP branded it as no good for tackling the cost of living crisis, the Brexit fall-out and climate concerns.
But it was welcomed by Glasgow Airport, saying the future halving of the air passenger tax within the UK was “muchneeded”.
Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, pointed out the Budget cut the surcharge on banks by over a half, with no action on companies such as Amazon avoiding tax in the UK.
And, despite calls from across the political spectrum over recent months, the £1,000-a-year cut to Universal Credit stayed in place, costing Renfrewshire households and the local economy £6million annually, while pensioners will see their state pensions cut in real terms.
The Budget also cut taxes on Champagne while confirming the increase in National Insurance for workers earning over £9,568 a year.
Mr Newlands said: “We’ve endured over a decade of Tory austerity, with entirely predictable results – including a public sector that has been pushed beyond its limits by the pandemic.
“At its core, this is a heartless and shortsighted Budget driven by an ideology that went out of fashion with flares and platform shoes.
“Rishi Sunak had the opportunity to reverse cuts to Universal Credit, properly boost investment in our national infrastructure, and make sure our state was fit for purpose.
“Instead, he carried on with the failed policies that have caused misery for millions over the years.”
But he added: “The additional funding for the AMIDS South project near Glasgow Airport is welcome and, having supported this bid, I am now keen to see this project delivered as soon as possible.”
Mr Arthur claimed the Budget cemented his view that “independence is the only way give Renfrewshire South a fair recovery from the pandemic”.
He said: “It’s painfully clear that there will be no fair recovery from the pandemic under Westminster control.
“This Tory budget fails Scotland as a whole and doesn’t go anywhere near supporting people in Renfrewshire South, who are being hit by an energy crisis, a Brexit crisis, a labour shortages crisis and an inflation crisis under Westminster control.
“The UK Government budget is leaving families in Renfrewshire South hundreds of pounds worse off next year due to Tory cuts, tax hikes and the soaring cost of Brexit.”
Glasgow Airport welcomed the 50 per cent cut in passenger tax for UK internal flights, which won’t start until April 2023.
A spokesman said: “As a regional airport group, the connectivity we provide is vital to the economic success of the regions we serve and will play a key part of the UK Government’s levelling-up agenda.
“This is both a welcome and muchneeded announcement that comes as we begin the long process of rebuilding our domestic connectivity, which was decimated following the pandemic.
“Removing the double whammy of having APD charged on both legs of a return trip will strengthen the viability of these important routes, which will get our economy moving again.”
Meanwhile, Save the Children Scotland said the Budget did not go anywhere near supporting low income families.
The charity’s Claire Telfer said: “Reducing the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing the Work Allowance will mean that working parents in Scotland will be able to keep more of their earnings.
“Alongside the increase to the minimum wage, this will ease the financial pressure on some families.
“But these measures aren’t a replacement for the £20 increase to Universal Credit.”
Thisisaheartlessandshort-sightedBudgetdrivenbyanideologythatwentoutoffashionwithflares