People in Sunderland will feel betrayed by austerity budget

Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget statement today Leader of the Opposition on Sunderland City Council, Lib Dem councillor Paul Edgeworth, said:

“People on Wearside will feel betrayed today. Grand promises in July’s election have been replaced by a combination of tax hikes and cuts in services that no one voted for. This is nothing short of a new Labour age of austerity.

“The Chancellor’s political choices today will see huge cuts in budgets for government departments and services, cuts to disability benefits, a 50% hike in the cost of bus fares and the continuation of the shameful cuts to winter fuel allowances. There was nothing about making it easier to get a GP or dentist appointment and the fine print suggests that local councils will only get more funding through Council Tax rises for hard-pressed local people.

“I fear that today’s pie-in-the-sky Budget will deliver nothing more than higher taxes and cuts in services from this Government.”