Chancellor Rishi Sunak's has announced a 5p cut on fuel duty and an increase in the national insurance contributions threshold, but MP for Chesham and Amersham Sarah Green has said this is good enough.
Calling the new measures 'inadequate', Green has joined her Liberal Democrat colleagues in calling for the standard rate of VAT to be reduced from 20% to 17.5% for one year, in a bid to support the economy and boost spending on local high streets
Speaking after the Spring Statement, Green said:
“People in our community were looking to Rishi Sunak today for a helping hand in facing this once in a generation cost of living crisis. This was crunch time for the Chancellor, but he has ultimately failed to announce any immediate, meaningful assistance to help families struggling to make ends meet.
“Rising inflation and energy bills mean that the typical household will see a £1,000 hit to their income this year, yet the Government insists on clobbering them with an unfair tax hike.
“The Chancellor should be listening to Liberal Democrat calls for an emergency cut to VAT which would put much needed cash back into the pockets of Buckinghamshire households. With today’s statement, he is simply tinkering around the edges. It is a massive missed opportunity to really help struggling families.”