Nigel Evans, Member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley, today criticised the Budget for failing to tackle either the mounting deficit or help people in their day to day lives. Mr Evans said, “The fact is that we should not have been having this Budget at all. We should be having an election. Instead we have a lame duck of a Chancellor delivering a Budget that is no real help to anyone. “People in the Ribble Valley will be entitled to think – “how has that helped me?” – and they would be right. Fuel tax will still rise and alcohol and tobacco taxes have risen again. National Insurance contributions will rise from next year for both employers and employees. “The one initiative to scrap stamp duty for first time buyers on properties up to £250,000 has been Conservative Policy since 2007! I am pleased that the Chancellor has recognised that we were correct all along. “Essentially, however, this was not a Budget to benefit anyone. Not savers and not businesses. Certainly it was not a Budget for growth or financial stability. “As for the deficit, the Labour Party are still on the wrong side of the argument. We must reduce spending and encourage prudent financial security at all levels and that must start in Government. Last week the European Commission criticised the Government's plans to halve the deficit in four years, saying they were not ambitious enough. Today’s Budget has done nothing to alter that perspective. “In summary we have heard £19 billion of tax rises, personal allowances frozen and National Insurance up 1%. All the Chancellor’s figures have been based on optimistic growth forecasts at odds with independent forecasters and the Federation of Small Businesses has said that this Budget “will not help job creation”. Anyway you look at it, the Government has lost any remaining economic credibility.” |