Labour

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.”

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Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, delivering a message of support to people lobbying for Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), said:

My best wishes and International Women’s Day greetings to everyone supporting today’s WASPI lobby.

You are highlighting a grave injustice. The Coalition Government’s decision to move the goalposts, by bringing the equalisation of the state pension age forward by a further two years to 2018, was plain wrong.

It was a betrayal of tens of thousands of women who had planned for their retirement based on the 1995 legislation.

It was justified by claims Britain needed a dose of austerity – yet at the same time tax cuts worth billions have been given to big companies and the very wealthy.

Today, we can expect the Chancellor to boast that the economy is doing better than expected. But will he do anything to right this wrong? I very much doubt it.

Labour is already committed to extending Pension Credit to help those worst hit by this callous change.

We are also developing solutions for those affected who would not be entitled to Pension Credit. And we will continue to consult with WASPI and others on this as part of our planning for government.

I am sorry I cannot join you today. I will be in the Chamber of the House of Commons for the Budget statement, ready to respond.

My speech will challenge the Government’s policy of endless austerity for the many, alongside generous tax giveaways for their wealthy and privileged friends.

My thoughts are with you today. I congratulate you on your stand and look forward to working with you to achieve justice.

Best wishes

Jeremy Corbyn

Leader of the Labour Party

Gareth Thomas, Shadow Minister for Local Government Finance, in response to evidence that Surrey County Council came to a ‘gentleman’s agreement with the Government over their budget, said:

“This recording proves what we have long suspected. The Government came to a secret “gentleman’s agreement” with the leadership of Surrey County Council, whilst the rest of country faces a crisis in social care and brutal cuts to council budgets.

“Theresa May and her ministers, including Sajid Javid, have been playing political games, conducting backroom sweetheart deals for their friends, whilst councils across the country struggle to cobble together the money to adequately fund social care. Meanwhile, there is a crisis in social care with a £1.9billion funding gap and elderly people living without the care they need.

“Theresa May must come clean about the terms of the deal offered to Surrey County Council, apologise for her Government’s misleading suggestion that there had been no such deal and ensure other local councils get the same treatment.”

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