‘Nothing to help ordinary people’ in Hunt’s plans
PEOPLE and organisations across the North East have expressed their disappointment following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.
Jeremy Hunt promised to “tackle the cost-of-living crisis” and “rebuild our economy” as he set out plans for tax rises and spending cuts.
Leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr Nick Kemp, said the announcement will do nothing to help ordinary people who are struggling to pay for food, energy, rent and mortgages.
He said: “It’s clear that taxes will be going up and more spending cuts are on their way which will do nothing to help ordinary people who are struggling to pay for food, energy, rent and mortgages. Our country is in a desperate situation thanks to the conservative government’s disastrous mismanagement of the economy.”
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said Mr Hunt’s Autumn Statement does not reflect what the people in the region need right now. She said: “While I welcome the commitment to the devolution of more power to the North-East, today’s statement simply didn’t reflect what the people of our region need now. We have the highest level of child poverty, our public services are beyond breaking point and the police are being denied the officer numbers needed to keep us safe. This statement did not resolve any of this.”
Stephen Bell OBE, CEO of Changing Lives, said the Autumn Statement offers “little comfort” for charities providing vital frontline services for people going through challenging times.
He said: “We welcome the Chancellor’s announcement that benefits will rise in line with inflation, which will go some way towards helping the millions of people who are the most acutely affected by rising living costs.
“But this will quickly become a drop in the ocean if we do not have the right public services to meet rising demand among people and families who are living in poverty.”
Mary Kelly Foy MP, Labour MP for the City of Durham, has described the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement as “arrogant” and “offensive”.
She said: “It is outrageous that the Chancellor attempted to lecture the country on managing the economy after the mess caused by his own Government. Let’s be honest with people - no one was talking about cutting public services and hiking working people’s taxes until the recent Conservative chaos.
“Over the past 12 years, they have weakened and now crashed the economy. It’s clear our country can no longer afford a Conservative Government. Ordinary working people are now poorer, and the public services we all rely on are collapsing – all on the Conservatives’ watch; all because of the decisions they have made.”
Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell said rather than offering us a way out of the Cost of Living Crisis, the Chancellor has delivered “more of the same”.
She said: “My constituents are set to see their real disposable income fall by more than 7% over the next two years - the biggest fall on record. And with this Statement, the Government has piled on the pressure, announcing a stealth tax raid and another increase in council tax which will leave hard-pressed families with even less in their pockets.”
Jarrow MP Kate Osborne called for a general election following the Autumn Statement. She said people in our communities need investment rather than cuts.
The Labour MP said: “When the Chancellor said today the UK will ‘pay our way’ he meant our communities will pay. There is nothing compassionate about this Tory Government.”
Following the Autumn Statement, Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle Central, tweeted: “Britain has so much potential. Right now we’re facing a Tory economic crisis that’s holding us back. After today, the people of #Newcastle will be asking themselves: Am I and my family better off with the Tories? The answer is no. #Budget”