'Multi-millionaire Chancellor' Rishi Sunak has been accused of showing a 'complete lack of empathy' with his budget plans.
Mr Sunak announced his plans to tackle the cost of living crisis today, with millions of households around the country being pushed towards poverty through soaring energy and fuel bills and record inflation. But many feel his efforts fell short. While the Chancellor did announce a cut to fuel duty and raised the National Insurance threshold, many were unimpressed with his actions to support those facing the deepest impacts of the cost of living crisis.
There was no mention of Universal Credit claimants and the measures aimed at tackling soaring energy bills for households were restricted to a VAT cut for the purchasing of heat pumps, solar panels and insulation. For many, it simply didn't go far enough.
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Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said: "I know that it is difficult for a multi-millionaire Chancellor to be able to empathise with ordinary people – but this Spring Statement shows a complete lack of empathy Millions of people across the country face a worrying year ahead as the cost of living crisis starts to bite. With energy prices rising, fuel prices rising, the cost of food and other essentials rising, and inflation at its highest point in 30 years, they were looking to him today to offer them a helping hand.
“Instead, he is piling on the pressure, offering no help to ordinary people and putting yet more pressure onto increasingly desperate families. Today’s lack of action will only push more people below the poverty line. When some Tory MPs start to worry that the Chancellor is not doing enough, you know things are very serious. It didn’t have to be this way.
He added: "Labour’s plans for a windfall tax on oil and gas producer profits could have helped cut energy bills by £600. Once again, this government has shown it is more interested in helping its billionaire friends than working people. The government’s decisions today mean that this is not just a cost of living crisis, but the price of the Conservatives – and we’re the ones picking up the tab.”
Wallasey MP Angela Eagle was similarly withering. She said: "The Chancellor’s Spring Statement has done little to help my constituents in Wallasey deal with the cost-of-living crisis which is engulfing them. With inflation forecast to hit 9% by the end of the year, the Office for Budget Responsibility expects the largest decline in UK real living standards on record since 1956/57 forcing my constituents to go without food and heating.
"With more pressure to come from a forecast further huge rise in energy prices, the Chancellor’s Spring Statement completely failed to grapple with the real hardships ahead, especially for those on more modest incomes. Whilst the 5p cut to Fuel Duty is welcome, it is temporary tinkering compared to the increases my constituents face."
