CHANCELLOR DELIVERS ‘A BOTCHED BUDGET’ WHICH FAILS TO DELIVER FOR DERBY

Responding to the Autumn Budget, Lucy Care, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Derby, criticised the Government for failing to deliver the investment and change needed for social care, business growth, policing or to tackle the cost of living in Derby.

This is a “botched Budget” that has failed to deliver “the real change people in Derby were promised”, instead “delivered a tax bombshell for millions” by extending the freeze in tax thresholds, and meaning small businesses are less likely to take on new staff.

SOCIAL CARE
The Chancellor’s Budget offered nothing to fix the growing crisis in social care, which hurts so many elderly and vulnerable people and is devastating for the NHS. With council finances already under severe pressure, now worsened by the damaging jobs tax, the crisis in social care is expected to only deepen after the Budget.

POLICING
Years of Conservative mismanagement left frontline policing overstretched and under-resourced. The Budget announcement failed to provide the support needed for the police, who were keen to see funding for extra officers on the beat.

COST OF LIVING

Lucy Care also expressed disappointment that the Chancellor did not go further in delivering meaningful support for families desperately needing help with the cost of living.

Lucy pointed out that people’s living standards were being hit by the Government's tax rises according to the Office for Budget Responsibility. And with the Chancellor’s plan to reduce energy bills not coming into force until April 2026, Lucy Care said people need immediate relief, and that the Government should be bolder by adopting the Liberal Democrats' plan to halve energy bills by 2035.

MAIN QUOTE

Lucy Care, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Derby, said:
“This is a botched Budget from a Chancellor who sees the problem but won’t fix it. Promises on growth and tackling the cost of living have once again been broken.

“The Conservatives left the UK’s finances in a terrible state for families and small businesses in Derby. We wanted bold decisions, instead the Government delivered a tax bombshell for millions.  

“I will continue to work with my Liberal Democrat colleagues to secure a fairer deal for business growth and the real change people in Derby were promised.”

ENDS