St Helens MPs hit out at Chancellor's autumn Budget

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak unveiled details of the latest Budget in Parliament.

Among the announcements was that the Universal Credit taper rate (the amount withdrawn for every £1 earned) will be cut by eight per cent, bringing it down from 63 to 55 per cent in a bid to soften the blow on families after a £20-a-week increase in payments came to an end this month.

St Helens North MP Conor McGinn, however, claimed the Budget showed how "out of touch" the government is with "working people" in St Helens.

He accused the Chancellor of prioritising "tax rises for working people" and "tax cuts for wealthy bankers".

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Meanwhile, St Helens South and Whiston MP Marie Rimmer said the Budget will "do little" to address the rising "cost of living".

The Budget saw a planned rise in fuel duty has been cancelled because of pump prices being at their highest level in eight years.

The Chancellor said there will be a new 50 per cent business rates discount in the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors and simplified alcohol duty with a system designed around the principle of “the stronger the drink, the higher the rate”.

Rishi Sunak announced the Budget on Wednesday Pic: PA

A UK-wide £560m numeracy programme, was announced to improve basic maths skills among adults and with a £44bn increase pledge in healthcare, while schools will get an extra £4.7 billion by 2024/25.

The Chancellor also committed to a £24bn multi-year housing settlement and £2.6 billion for road upgrades, with more than £5bn to local roads maintenance.

Reacting to the Budget, Mr McGinn said: “This Budget proved how utterly out-of-touch the Conservatives really are with the concerns of working people in St Helens North.

“Rather than help families feeling the pinch from skyrocketing energy costs, rising fuel prices and empty supermarket shelves, this Chancellor prioritised tax rises for working people and tax cuts for wealthy bankers.

“And with a tough winter ahead, he had shamefully little to offer the nearly 10,000 households in our community whose Universal Credit he has just slashed by over £1,000 a year.

“Labour’s priorities would be different. We would put working people first.

“We would generate skills, quality jobs and real opportunities for people across our communities by buying, selling, investing and making more right here in Britain."

Conor McGinn MP

He added: “With our partners locally, Labour in St Helens are already delivering in that spirit, with our bold and ambitious proposals to transform our town centres and every corner of our great borough moving quickly apace.

“After a decade of failure under the Conservatives, this Budget was yet another shocking missed opportunity for us in St Helens.”

Meanwhile, St Helens South and Whiston MP Marie Rimmer, said: “The cost of living is going through the roof. Petrol is getting dearer and energy bills are going up. The Budget announced by the Chancellor will do little to help this.

“The spending plans that the Conservatives have made are going to be paid off the backs of ordinary people. Instead of taxing big businesses like Amazon, the government has instead decided to increase national insurance so working people are forced to pay more. This is not how you build a better economy and society."

Marie Rimmer MP

She added: “Over the past decade, public services have been cut to the bone. This is why the coronavirus pandemic hit us so hard. Instead of giving tax cuts for bankers, the government needs to get the economy growing properly to fund the public services we all depend upon.”