‘Working People Do Not Enjoy The Fruit Of The Tory Government’s Money Tree’-Jon Cruddas MP.

Today, the Dagenham and Rainham MP Jon Cruddas writes in the Havering Daily on the spring Budget announced yesterday.

The Chancellor called this a ‘Budget for Growth’ but the only thing growing under this government is inequality, inflation, food bank queues and the cost of living. 

In recent weeks the Labour Party have backed the government into a corner over childcare and the announcement of an additional £4 billion to extend free childcare by 30 hours for one and two-year-olds would help thousands of local families keep their head above water. The concern for me is in the detail though, and without significant investment in provider capacity we could be in a situation where nurseries are unable to accommodate additional children.

One of the headline items was the ‘freeze’ on the Energy Price Guarantee until July, but with energy prices already pushing people into poverty at the current rate this doesn’t offer the support or reduction in bills that people in areas like Dagenham and Rainham desperately need. Labour has a plan to retrofit 19 million homes and keep bills down for good. All the Tories are offering is a delay on the next financial hit when winter comes around again.

On top of this the Chancellor made it clear he wants people to work longer for less, raising the state pension age without any promises on public sector pay rises. He has said people can put more money into their pensions, but unfortunately working people don’t enjoy the fruit of the Tory government’s magic money tree.

I think after today the question everyone should be asking themselves is ‘after 13 years of the Tories, do I feel better off?’ Whether you are working three jobs to feed the kids and heat your home or standing on a picket line today fighting for decent living standards, the answer is as clear as day.

This Budget was full of sticking plasters to patch up the devastation 13 years of Tory rule has caused to the economy and to working people in every corner of our country. A Labour Government would be different. No more sticking plaster politics. We would build a better Britain on a rock of economic responsibility with our Green Prosperity Plan and modern Industrial Strategy, and a complete reform of our childcare system would also help get people back to work and set families up for life.

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