My thought on the budget

It feels as if we’ve been waiting for the Labour Government’s budget forever. Now we have the details, here’s my initial reaction:

Good news – extra funding for the NHS. I’m glad the Government has listened to Lib Dem calls for more investment in the NHS to start repairing all the damage done to local health services by the Conservatives.
However, I sense that decision-makers in London don’t understand the reality of how health provision works in rural areas like ours. What we really need is improved health services for local people, extra GP and NHS dentist appointments.

Seriously disappointing news – absolutely NOTHING extra for social care Sadly, the new Government has repeated the last Government’s mistake - as Ed Davey put it “neglecting the elephant in the NHS waiting room” – the crisis in social care. We urgently need cross-party talks to tackle social care, because fixing this will be crucial to taking pressure off hospitals and local health services, and giving older people the care they need.

Carer’s allowance 
I’m really glad that the Chancellor listened to the Lib Dem campaign on Carer’s Allowance. Raising the earnings limit is a good first step, but we’ll continue pushing Ministers to abolish the unfair cliff-edge altogether and to hold a broader review to give Carers the support they truly deserve.

Taxes should have been raised from the big banks not small businesses. I’m very concerned about the impact of the Government’s increase to Employer’s National Insurance, which is a tax on jobs that will hit our small businesses and high streets. The Government should instead be raising the money by reversing tax cuts for the big banks and making the social media giants pay more.

Rural communities still taken for granted, more of the same - just like the last Government. I am worried sick about the impact of the changes to the family farm tax which risks becoming a disaster for local farmers, tenant farmers and small businesses. Absolutely unforgivable. Who on earth do they think is going to feed us?

At the election, the Lib Dems backed British farmers, demanding an extra £1bn to support them, and my colleagues and I will keep on being a strong voice for our rural communities.

Winter Fuel Allowance 
So many of you have written to me about the cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance. It is incredibly disappointing to see this Government push ahead with these cuts which will badly impact some of the most vulnerable pensioners in our communities. I’ll be fighting to find ways to mitigate these changes, working with my Somerset Council colleagues. 

The rise in the bus fare cap to £3 
Hiking bus fares to £3 is an unfair bus tax.  Many people in communities like ours rely on buses to travel to work and go about their everyday lives. This is quite simply the wrong choice. If the Government was serious about investing in the economy and tackling the cost of living crisis they would think again.

SEND 
As I said the other day, far too many children are waiting too long for an Education, Health and Care Plan. We need far greater urgency from the Government when it comes to tackling this crisis, because children (and parents and carers) just cannot wait any longer.

WASPIs 
I’m glad the Government made provision for compensation for the historic injustices of the Infected Blood and Post Office Horizon IT scandals. But I was gutted to see nothing for the WASPIs - again. They have also waited far, far too long for the redress they deserve.   

So, overall there’s some good in difficult circumstances, but some big disappointments. I’ll be watching to ensure the positives become reality, and continue campaigning for what’s not there.