John McDonnell responding to the Budget

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, responding to the
Budget, said:

“Philip Hammond has used his first Budget to claw £2 billion in
tax on those self-employed who are on low and middle incomes. But he continued
to boast about the £70 billion worth of tax giveaways at the top announced by
his predecessor.

“Labour will oppose this unfair £2 billion sole traders tax on the
self-employed low and middle earners. 

“Rather than provide the funding that would end a social care
crisis in which 1 million vulnerable people go without adequate care, or
calling an end to the state of emergency in our NHS, the Tories are doing next
to nothing and don’t seem to recognise the scale of the crisis they have
created.

“The Tory rigged economy continues for households in our country,
who face being £1,800 worse off by the end of the forecast period, and if you
are on the National Living Wage by the end of this parliament you face a 25p
per hour cut.

“This Budget does not address the problems created by seven years
of Tory failure, and it has failed the fairness test for women who will be hit by
a cuts in public services, and the national living wage.

“Instead of equipping our country for Brexit, he is building our
economy on sand, and the little he has announced today will mean we are less
prepared for the challenges we face outside of the EU.”

Ends