Budget Resolutions

Keir Starmer Lab

Holborn and St Pancras

The Budget does not address critical issues such as high living costs, stagnant productivity, rising worklessness, homelessness, unaddressed crime, inadequate NHS services, and environmental degradation. The government's economic policy relies heavily on migration to mask their lack of a growth strategy.

Caroline Lucas Green

Brighton, Pavilion

Critiques the Chancellor's complacency regarding business investment levels and calls for more public investment to crowd in private investment.

George Freeman Con

Mid Norfolk

Defends the Government's support for advanced manufacturing in clean aviation, clean vehicles, and clean tech manufacturing, highlighting investments of £270 million and £120 million respectively.

Vicky Ford Con

Praises the Conservative government's investment in childcare and support for child benefit, emphasising its importance for women entering well-paid jobs.

Ian Blackford SNP

Raises concerns about quantitative easing, highlighting potential impacts on gilt yields, interest rates, and money supply growth.

Drew Hendry SNP

Inverness N Strathspey

The Chancellor's autumn statement was not a 'statement for growth' as real GDP per person is forecast to trough at 1¼ per cent below its pre-pandemic peak. Drew Hendry welcomed some of the measures announced, such as addressing non-dom status and changes to child benefit. He criticised the national insurance cuts and inflation rate. Public services have been underfunded for years due to Tory policies like Brexit and mini-Budgets, leading to a 'poor position' in public finances. The IFS noted that further £20 billion cuts could make it difficult to explain how public services can take more cuts. Hendry highlighted Scotland's progressive tax system which benefits many households compared to the rest of the UK. He criticised the Chancellor for not cutting taxes on Scotch whisky and failing to invest in green energy, which could hold Scotland back from reaching its green ambitions.

Peter Bottomley Con

Worthing West

The MP emphasised the importance of publishing figures on tax and philanthropy in Scotland, questioning the SNP's approach. He also highlighted the Labour party's shift over time and centralisation of power under its new leadership. Concerns were raised about pension advice costs for small pots and Worthing Borough Council’s financial stability under Labour control. The MP supported changes to child benefit penalties and advocated for renewable heating systems and free schools, suggesting that opposition parties would take the country back to a previous state.

Angela Eagle Lab

Wallasey

The Chancellor's fiscal irresponsibility is evident in the lack of detailed spending cuts and real-term reductions in unprotected Departments. Government debt has risen from 64.7% to 95%, NHS waiting lists have soared, and poverty levels are deepening with low wages and benefits cuts.

Caroline Lucas Green

Brighton Pavilion

Asked Labour why they support the freezing of fuel duty when it has cost £90 billion since 2010 and increased climate emissions by 7% compared to no policy. Emphasised that this policy undermines investment in public services.

Kevan Jones Lab

Durham North

Corrected Eagle's statement on departmental spending, noting that most departments are either staying still or being cut by 2024-25 as per page 27 of the Red Book.

John Redwood Con

Wokingham

Mr Redwood discussed the economic performance under Conservative leadership, highlighting job creation and reduced unemployment. He suggested adopting a balanced mandate for the Bank of England similar to the Federal Reserve Board in the US, including both inflation control and growth promotion targets. He criticised the current policy direction of the Bank of England as too tight, causing losses and hindering growth. Mr Redwood also addressed public sector productivity, noting a 7.5% decline since covid and proposed that management improvements rather than new technology are key to recovery. Additionally, he advocated for the abolition of UK Government Investments due to its poor track record in managing nationalised industries.

Edward Davey Lib Dem

Kingston and Surbiton

The Chancellor's Budget reeks of desperation and deceit, offering no real support for families or public services. It fails to address the recession and falling GDP per capita, leaving households £1,500 poorer. The Government's economic policy is a disaster for homeowners with mortgage rates forecasted to remain high. The Budget also does not properly fund the NHS, leading to longer waiting lists and service closures.

David Evennett

The Chancellor’s Budget is good and commendable, addressing fiscal responsibility and reducing inflation from over 11% to 4%. It includes tax cuts for 27 million workers, with the main rate of employee national insurance contributions reduced by 2p in the pound. This results in a real term increase of 35% in take-home pay for full-time national living wage workers since 2010. The Budget also supports families through changes to high income child benefit charges and ends unfairness towards single-earner families.

Seema Malhotra Lab Co-op

Feltham and Heston

What Britain needs, first and foremost, is a serious plan for growth. We should be in no doubt that our low-growth, high-tax economy is the endgame of 14 years of Conservatism: the result of the hollowing out of our public sphere, the stripping back of businesses’ potential and the levelling down of hope. Official figures show that people are worse off at the end of this Parliament than they were at the start. The consumer prices index’s average hourly pay for residents of Feltham and Heston has fallen by 6% since 2019, when it was around £17 in today’s prices, and has fallen by 20% since 2010. The number of small businesses in Feltham and Heston has been falling for the past two years running, and is now lower than it was in 2019. Some 40% of children are in relative poverty after housing costs, and it is no surprise that the average family will be £1,200 worse off under the Conservatives’ tax plan, given the 25 Tory tax rises since the last election.

Seema Malhotra Lab Co-op

Feltham and Heston

But it does not have to be this way—that is the point, is it not? There is an alternative to the choices that the Conservatives are making, which have left people in Britain worse off while friends and donors do well out of that VIP fast lane. Labour has a plan for growth—growth that leads to businesses thriving, stronger public services, more money in ordinary people’s pockets, good and secure jobs, and an end to people and businesses paying more and getting less. It is a plan for stability and growth that commands national and international confidence and makes Britain the best place to invest and to start and grow a business, where we become leaders in the green economy of the future, creating opportunity for all.

Seema Malhotra Lab Co-op

Feltham and Heston

Let me say a few words about skills, because we cannot grow our economy without investing in our people. The biggest opportunity we have for inclusion, productivity, economic growth and the competitiveness of our nations is a strategy for human talent. A few years ago, a Boston Consulting Group report highlighted how human capital is under intense pressure worldwide, as powerful forces—globalisation, demographic and regional shifts, and digitisation—gain momentum. As such, nation states need a national plan, but this Budget comes on the back of years of failure and gives no answers to the skills challenges that we face.

Seema Malhotra Lab Co-op

Feltham and Heston

New official data from September shows worrying trends since 2017, when the last survey was done. The proportion of employers with a skills shortage vacancy has gone up from 6% to 10%; the proportion of the workforce with a skills gap, where an employee is judged by their employer to lack full proficiency, has gone up from 4.4% to 5.7%; and the proportion of employers that have provided training for their staff has fallen from 66% to 60%. Meanwhile, the number of apprenticeship starts has plummeted under the Tories by over 200,000 since 2017, with more than £3 billion of the apprenticeship levy unspent since 2019.

Seema Malhotra Lab Co-op

Feltham and Heston

Under a Labour Government, Britain’s skills plans will be led by a new national skills taskforce, Skills England. That will go alongside our industrial strategy, and bring together businesses, training providers and unions to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all our regions. We will recruit over 1,000 new careers advisers for our schools and colleges, and deliver two weeks of work experience for every young person, so that young people know the pathways that are available to them.

Priti Patel Con

Witham

The Chancellor has put forward a clear plan for the economy, made targeted tax cuts and provided support for businesses. Public spending is now in excess of £1.2 trillion per year, which is approximately 44% of GDP. The UK needs to get tax rates down while also tackling fiscal drag, and incentivising work through lower national insurance contributions. Measures like maintaining the 5p reduction in fuel duty, increasing the registration threshold for corporation tax, and expanding violence reduction units are welcomed.

Stewart Hosie

The Government's fiscal targets do not stand scrutiny as GDP growth per capita is lower than previously forecast. Debt is not falling and productivity growth is cumulatively lower over the entire forecast period compared to last November’s figures. The Budget does not deliver on promised growth, productivity, or long-term investment.

Andrew Rosindell Con

Romford

Commends the Chancellor for his Budget statement, highlighting the need to reduce tax burden and promote economic growth through a robust free enterprise agenda. Advocates for further reduction in taxes similar to those of successful nations, emphasising the importance of freeing the economy from bureaucracy post-Brexit. He also expresses disappointment with the current local authority funding formula which is deemed unfair and outdated.

Meg Hillier Lab Co-op

Hackney South and Shoreditch

The MP detailed the adverse effects of government policies in her borough, including high child poverty rates (48%), school closures, housing shortages, and lack of social rented accommodation. She also criticised cuts to public spending in various departments such as Home Office and Education.

John Stevenson Con

Carlisle

This Budget continues that direction of travel and I fully support it. It includes a further 2p reduction in national insurance, helping motorists through a freeze on fuel duty, expanding childcare, and providing public sector support like new doctors, nurses, and police officers. Additionally, the living wage will rise by around 11% and inflation is expected to fall below 2% by summer.

Luke Pollard Lab Co-op

Plymouth Sutton and Devonport

The Budget failed to address the housing crisis in Plymouth, where there is real pressure on house prices. It lacks support for councils wanting to build more affordable homes. There are concerns over childcare policy implementation without enough preparation. The Treasury should address an insurance loophole related to wartime bombs. More support is needed for care leavers and fairer regional spending variations.

Chris Grayling Con

Epsom and Ewell

The speaker emphasises the current economic challenges, stating that despite significant crises over the past four years, the economy is performing better than expected. He highlights positive indicators such as low unemployment rates and strong inward investment. However, he criticises the opposition for lacking a realistic plan and suggests their policies would harm the economy by increasing taxes and public spending. Grayling also advocates for proactive measures to reintegrate people into the workforce and supports sustainable aviation fuel development while expressing concerns about increased air passenger tax.

Julian Knight Con

Solihull

The speaker criticises the national debt increase under Conservative rule, arguing that it is due to poor financial management rather than economic necessity. He blames George Osborne's policies for failing to reduce government expenditure effectively and for not seizing opportunities post-Brexit. Julian Knight also expresses concern about the UK's vulnerability in terms of finance and warns against over-reliance on debt and printing money as a way to avoid tough decisions. He concludes by predicting that the Government will face significant backlash from voters due to these issues.

David Davis Con

Goole and Pocklington

Davis acknowledges the challenges faced by the Chancellor due to significant financial, health, and international crises. He praises the Chancellor's skilful handling of these issues but argues that more could be done regarding Government decision-making structures. He emphasises the success of reducing national insurance contributions despite acknowledging it may have been better if income tax was reduced instead. Davis also raises concerns about IR35 regulations and suggests revisiting fiscal rules and economic forecasts, questioning their accuracy.

Rosie Winterton

Winterton advises speakers to adhere to the six-minute limit. She does not provide a personal stance but enforces procedural adherence.

Sammy Wilson DUP

East Antrim

Wilson criticises the Budget for its inability to deliver significant benefits due to mismanagement by the Government, citing costly lockdowns and spending on net zero as examples. He expresses disappointment that the impact of reducing national insurance contributions is negated by tax threshold adjustments. Wilson welcomes some aspects such as reduced VAT thresholds but argues these are not substantial improvements given inflation rates. He also highlights issues specific to Northern Ireland's fiscal disparity compared to other parts of the UK.

Jacob Rees-Mogg Con

North East Somerset

Critiques the Chancellor's Budget for not going far enough in reducing tax and spending, advocating instead for economic growth through lower taxes. He supports the reduction of property tax from 28% to 24%, suggesting it can stimulate economic activity. Rees-Mogg criticises excessive taxation and immigration levels and opposes additional taxes on oil companies.

Diana R. Johnson Lab

Kingston upon Hull North

Critiques the Chancellor's Budget for its lack of investment in the north, particularly Hull, noting that levelling up promises are insufficient. She highlights the absence of compensation for contaminated blood victims despite the Chancellor's previous support and moral acceptance of the need to pay such compensation.

Suella Braverman Con

Fareham and Waterlooville

Welcomed several elements of the Budget, including tax cuts and support for small businesses. Questioned whether these measures would turn the tide on high taxes, sluggish productivity, and economic growth. Warned about Labour's potential to raise taxes and undo Brexit. Praised Conservative job creation efforts since 2010. Emphasised responsible management of public finances and the need to cut personal taxes, including national insurance rates. Criticised past decisions during the pandemic for overspending and overcompensating. Suggested raising income tax thresholds to lift more taxpayers out of tax brackets. Regretted not cutting income tax instead of NI contributions due to pensioner losses. Highlighted the importance of tackling fiscal drag and improving net migration levels.

Judith Cummins Lab

Bradford South

Criticised the Government for failing on levelling up, transport improvements, living standards, and NHS support during cost-of-living crises. Accused the Government of short-termism and betrayal towards the North with failed promises like Northern Powerhouse Rail and lack of funding from levelling-up funds. Highlighted underfunding of police forces leading to unsolved crime cases across half the country. Critiqued NHS waiting lists and underfunded ambulance services. Argued for more capital investment in healthcare infrastructure. Recalled Labour's achievements during their last government, including short waiting times, reduced crime rates, and poverty reduction.

Robert Syms Con

Croydon South

Mr. Syms argues that the Government's decisions during the pandemic were difficult but necessary, acknowledging his scepticism towards lockdowns while recognising the need to save lives. He highlights full employment and economic recovery as results of the Government's investment in businesses through furlough schemes. Mr. Syms also emphasises the importance of cutting taxes and reducing interest rates to improve living standards for citizens, noting that this fiscal policy is showing positive signs with inflation likely to fall below 2% within months.

Cat Smith Lab

Lancaster and Wyre

Ms. Smith presents the results of a survey conducted among her constituents which reveals widespread financial hardship despite recent announcements about falling inflation rates. She highlights high energy costs, food prices, and mortgage rates as primary concerns for people who are struggling to meet basic needs. Ms. Smith also addresses issues regarding public services like the NHS, schools, roads, and transport, pointing out that local authorities face difficult funding settlements due to years of Tory austerity.

Therese Coffey Con

Suffolk Coastal

Welcomed the measures announced in the Budget, focusing on investment in life sciences, support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), pensions reform, making work pay through National Insurance changes, childcare assurances, abolition of the furnished holiday lettings tax regime, extension of tax relief to Freeport East, freeze in alcohol duty, £5 million fund investment for village halls, additional support for internal drainage boards and environmental land management schemes, NHS public sector productivity plan improvements.

Ian Blackford SNP

Ross, Skye and Lochaber

Critiqued the Budget as a missed opportunity to deliver sustainable economic growth. Highlighted falling GDP per capita since March 2022, household incomes not returning to pre-pandemic levels until 2025, limited headroom in forecasts based on fuel price escalator assumptions, and tax increases rather than cuts. Discussed lack of plans for industrial strategy and green investment opportunities in Scotland.

Edward Leigh Con

Gainsborough

The Chancellor's speech is praised for mentioning the £100 million of levelling up funds, but the Member highlights a missed opportunity at RAF Scampton where £300 million could be leveraged. He urges the Government to consider his compromise proposal involving migrants and economic development in Lincolnshire. The debate shifts towards issues of legal migration, which he argues is more pressing than illegal immigration, citing increasing annual figures from 17,000 to over 600,000 net legal migrants. He emphasises that this influx undermines domestic workers by offering lower wages and strains public services such as healthcare and education. The Member calls for an end to shortage schemes allowing entry at below average UK wage rates. In broader economic policy, he favours income tax cuts over national insurance reductions and questions the outsourced nature of economic management through bodies like the OBR. He concludes by asserting that voters will reject higher taxes, regulation, and migration.

Catherine West Lab

Hornsey and Friern Barnet

The Member criticises the Chancellor for failing to deliver promised 15 hours of free childcare for two-year-olds. She uses her constituent Gillian’s experience as an example, highlighting difficulties in securing childcare due to closures caused by staff shortages. This issue is exacerbated by rising living costs and housing pressures. The Labour MP questions how free hours can be provided when nurseries struggle with staffing issues and warns that delays may result in children missing out on early years support entirely. Additionally, she addresses the crisis of unsuitable temporary accommodation for families due to the Government's housing policy failures, citing London boroughs spending £90 million monthly on such accommodation while 85,000 children are homeless or living in poor conditions. She concludes by calling for an end to the Conservative government’s approach and advocates for a Labour plan focused on breaking down barriers for children to access adequate support.

Paul Bristow Con

Peterborough

Welcomes the Budget, criticising over-regulation and over-taxation. Highlights issues with Peterborough City Council's decisions such as axing lollipop ladies, closing bridges based on spurious health and safety grounds, fencing off open spaces, and closing swimming pools due to an overly cautious approach. Advocates for accelerating supply-side reforms in planning and increasing productivity in the NHS by ensuring staff operate at the top of their licences, streamlining ranking systems, and following NICE advice.

Several hon. Members

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Nigel Evans Lab

Rhondda

Grateful for Members sticking to six or seven minutes as suggested by Dame Rosie, aiming for an informal time limit to ensure equal speaking opportunities.

Gareth Thomas Lab Co-op

Harrow West

The Budget will not alleviate the economic hardships faced by constituents, exacerbating issues such as high council tax, reduced living standards, and under-investment in public services. Schools in Harrow have seen significant real-terms funding cuts since 2010, impacting teacher recruitment and retention due to London's housing crisis. Special educational needs funding is insufficient, with delays in issuing education, health and care plans exacerbating the problem. The NHS faces immense pressure with long waiting lists, necessitating urgent GP appointments without proper consultation or expansion of healthcare services.

Tobias Ellwood

The Conservative Government has managed through significant global challenges, including a pandemic and war in Europe, implementing successful policies such as free schools, academies, and free childcare. National debt and unemployment were high when the Conservatives took office; however, they have also faced severe economic headwinds. The UK has made strides in green economy initiatives, technology sector growth, healthcare improvements, crime reduction, and defence expansion. Tobias Ellwood emphasises that it is not likely to get easier for Britain with global storm clouds gathering again but argues that the Conservative Government's actions demonstrate its capability to navigate through challenges.

Kim Leadbeater Lab

Spen Valley

Ms Leadbeater criticised the recent Budget, stating that it failed to address economic challenges and did not provide real change for constituents. She highlighted issues such as political instability, increased mortgage repayments, rising food prices, and the closure of small businesses and local services. She also pointed out significant funding cuts for Kirklees Council since 2010, leading to tough choices in budgeting. Ms Leadbeater emphasised the need for reform in local government funding formulas and called for the Budget to have ring-fenced money for essential community infrastructure.

Nigel Mills Con

Wycombe

Welcomes measures such as the extension of universal credit advances and household support fund, appreciates the reduction in national insurance by 2p which helps people retain more earnings. Supports pegging VAT threshold to a median income after incurred costs but without being in VAT regime for self-employed individuals. Calls for phasing out national insurance tax over time and unifying it with income tax to avoid double taxation of work. Welcomes the reduction in capital gains tax rate on second properties due to dynamic assessment showing increased revenue. Supports fuel duty freeze and alcohol freezes for hospitality trade. Advocates for abolition of non-dom tax regime as outdated, preferring a clear modern system based on long-term residency. Supports reforms to child benefit charge with potential exemption at £100,000 household income level.

Jeremy Corbyn Ind

Islington North

Mr Corbyn criticised the Government's budget for not addressing child poverty adequately, highlighting that more than 4 million children in the UK live below the poverty line despite the country being among the wealthiest globally. He pointed out specific issues such as the two-child benefit policy, which he argued exacerbates poverty in larger families and could be addressed at a cost of £1.3 billion. Additionally, Corbyn raised concerns over housing shortages, homelessness, unaffordable rents, and the underfunding of local government services including arts and culture. He also emphasised the need for council house construction to address the housing crisis.

Kevin Foster Con

Torbay

While acknowledging the defining issue of housing, Kevin Foster disagrees with Jeremy Corbyn's suggested solutions. He highlights the economic context, including a once-in-a-century pandemic and price shocks due to war in Europe. Foster notes that 800 new jobs are created daily in the UK, lower unemployment rates compared to other countries, and reduced economic inactivity rates. He supports recent tax changes and national insurance reductions, advocating for further consideration of basic rate income tax thresholds. Additionally, he commends the VAT threshold increase, the permanent tax relief on performing arts and theatres, alcohol duty freeze, fuel duty freeze, short-term let taxation change, and regeneration funding for Torbay. Foster emphasises the need to reshape town centres in the digital age to stimulate growth.

Rachael Maskell Lab Co-op

York Central

The last Budget of this Parliament leaves households £870 worse off under the Prime Minister’s tax plans. It has left public services crippled, and record debt. The safety net for those in poverty has been slashed. Nearly 4 million people are living in absolute destitution with many relying on budgeting advances from universal credit. Local government funding cuts have led to councils facing bankruptcy. There is a need for investment in housing, healthcare, and youth services as well as addressing inequality through gender budgeting.

Natalie Elphicke

Welcomes the tax cuts, progress on inflation, fuel duty provisions, extension of the household support fund, increase in VAT threshold for small businesses, and investment in healthcare. However, regrets that housing was not prioritised in this Budget. There is a need to address the lack of affordable homes which has led to an increase in temporary accommodation and high rent levels. Proposes opening up pensions for first-time buyers and unleashing pension fund investment to help people get on the housing ladder.

Ruth Cadbury Lab

Brentford and Isleworth

The Conservative Government’s Budget failed constituents who are facing rising bills, expensive weekly shops, soaring rents and mortgages, and mounting debts. The Office for Budget Responsibility figures show that under Rishi Sunak's tax plan, working people lose £870 a year on average due to tax threshold freezes that will raise £31 billion over the forecast period and create 3.7 million more taxpayers. No solutions were provided for the housing crisis or businesses struggling with soaring energy costs, crime, and barriers to trading with Europe. The cancellation of alcohol duty rise next year is a lost opportunity for public services due to lower tax revenue, despite basic economic understanding suggesting otherwise.

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