POLITICAL OPINION: Conservatives’ budget once again fails to deliver for Luton

This item has been submitted by the Labour MP for Luton South. Last week, we saw the Chancellor’s Spring Budget. Despite measures announced, the UK still has the highest tax burden in 70 years. Households will be £870 worse off under the Conservatives’ tax plan on average, giving 5p with one hand while taking 10p with the other.

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This will be the only Parliament on record where living standards have fallen. After 14 years of Conservative Government, do people feel better off?

Despite the hard work of committed public servants, many feel our public services are simply no longer working. They can’t access GP and dentist appointments, and waiting lists in our NHS are soaring. Crimes are not being solved. Our schools in Luton South are struggling, having faced over £14m in real-terms cuts since 2010. Rail passengers are facing cancellations and delays, yet train fares are going up 4.9%. And Conservative cuts to local government funding has left councils struggling to make ends meet. Locally, Luton Council has had to remove over £170m from its budget since 2010.

That is this Conservative Government’s record.

This Budget was a missed opportunity to grow the economy.

The next Labour Government will get our economy moving again so Britain will be better off. Labour will invest in British business so we can unlock tens of millions of pounds of investment for our towns and cities, reform planning so we can boost growth and get building again, switch on Great British Energy - a new publicly owned clean power generation company - and create well-paid jobs across all parts of our country.

The Tories have failed, and people in Luton, Bedfordshire and Britain continue to pay the price. It’s clear now more than ever that it is time for change, and only a Labour Government can deliver it. It’s time for a General Election.