Oldham MP - 'Tory austerity was a failed experiment'
Date published: 12 March 2020
Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon
Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon has issued his reaction to Chancellor Rishi Sunak's first Budget yesterday, highlighting concerns on whether austerity actually worked and the current coronavirus crisis.
The Budget has been seen as marking the end of austerity, launching a comprehensive infrastructure programme, levelling up the regions and revitalising public services in the media today.
However, while those things are still vital, the over-riding imperative for now is to beat the coronavirus.
“There are a number of positive steps included in the budget to combat the potential effects the coronavirus could have on our country and on our economy," said Mr McMahon.
"I’m pleased that the government will reimburse small firms for up to two weeks statutory sick pay and other such measures introduced.
“These are good first steps, but there are a number of uncertainties which still exist around those on zero-hour contracts and the self-employed, no matter which way you look at it these people will lose out.
"Similarly, it shows the monumental scale of the challenge that’s about to come for public health bodies and highlights some very real and deep concerns about the ability of the health system to cope after a decade of austerity.
"Hospitals in Greater Manchester are already running at 92% bed occupancy, leaving little room for a potential mass outbreak.
“And what of adult social care? There was nothing. No money. No new announcements. Nothing.
"I can’t help but wonder if the Chancellor just forgot that we’re in the middle of a funding crisis for adult social care.
“I also can’t ignore the fact that the details of the budget show a whopping £8.1billion increase in Council Tax, the most regressive direct tax and one with huge regional inequalities, it takes around 8% of lower income households income compared to 1% for the highest earners.
"The opportunity was there for the government to seriously consider how local government is funded, and to implement a truly fair funding system.
“On the so called ‘levelling up’ agenda, there just wasn’t enough detail in the budget to judge on just yet.
"And that will be the real test for government, it isn’t just about investing in infrastructure as vital as that is, it’s about investing in people too.
“What it does show, however, is that the last decade of Tory austerity was a failed experiment, it didn’t improve our economy or our country by any measure, but it did inflict misery and suffering on hundreds of thousands of people.”
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