Addressing the Commons as Britain's first female chancellor, Rachel Reeves pledged to make good on Labour’s promise to voters in July’s general election.This Budget, Reeves declared at the top of her speech, will "drive economic growth" and “invest, invest, invest”.
What followed was for me very dissapointing. Crackdown on benefits, slashes welfare by £3.4bn, kicking 400,000+ disabled people off benefits (according to Joseph Rowntree Foundation), access to bank accounts, cuts to the work capability assessment are going ahead, based on the outdated idea that weakening support improves work incentives. It doesn't, it actually creates barriers to work. And their planning cuts, which will see 400,000 people more than £400 a month worse off at a time when all the charities emphasise the desperate need for an increase.
People on benefits do not live the life of riley, many with problems that are not always visible, with barely to live on as it is, Labours solutions are not going to help one bit, in many cases will just add to anxiety, We are seen as convenient scapegoats in a very uncaring society. Most people who complain about those on benefits never have had the indignity of relying on them. People receiving sickness benefits also face a fearful future at a time when almost two thirds of those experiencing destitution have a long term health condition.
Disabled and sick are not economically inactive. In fact no one is. This is a very ableist viewpoint. We all pay bills and not everyone can work. Starmer and Reeve's ‘no stone unturned’ on benefits claimants is dangerous. Claimants are already *hounded for years* to prove they’re not faking it.this will simply break .people who are already struggling.
The whole point is to get more “growth” (profit) by pushing more people into the labour pool which helps employers push wages down and increase profit. Oh and pensioners robbed of Winter Fuel Allowance and public services cut by 4% annually (includes inflation). This is Austerity Labour style.
All this has been greeted by cheering bellows of "Hear hear" from the opposition benches. Of course the Tories are pleased that Labour will be continuing their 14 years of persecution of the disabled and vulnerable on benefits. Labour has now become more Tory than the Tory Party themselves.
I forgot to mention that with Tax Fraud approx. 4.8% (£40Billion) compared to Benefit Fraud 2.8%(£7.4Billion) Starmer/Reeves choose to protect their friends/Donors wealth by focusing on bullying disabled/ill people "back to Work" while cutting support services by 4%.
The Govternments decision to keep regressive Tory fuel duty freeze and to choose to penalise bus users is utterly nonsensical. What happened to promoting public transport? A rocketing bus fare rise hits young people, families and all those who can't afford a car. It entrenches years of unequal burdens, is the opposite of a progressive transport pricing policy, and means less for better travel across the country.
It seems to me watching this budget that Rachel Reeves is borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. Basically taking it from one section of society to pay another section of society. Starmer / Reeves budget is just another tax and spend budget, probably worse than the last government but broadly speaking part of the same consensus.
It will continue to deliver poor public services, anaemic growth, not enough houses and more debt. The consensus is the problem and needs breaking. At the end of the day,a very dissapointing budget. We needed a Budget to build a fairer society and a greener economy. The Chancellor has missed the opportunity to close the inequality gap and fund public services by taxing the super-rich.
Never thought the labour party would inflict such poverty onto ordinary people trying to get by in life. The rich will be comfortable thats for sure as they take from the poorest in society. Happy no I''m fucking not, I am honestly devastated at the financial misery this budget will inflict on the poorest people in the country. Starmers Labour Party offers no help and no hope. no meaningful boosts to support, no protections from widespread usury. But there’s always money for war £54.2 billion last financial year, that’s £100,000 per minute. It's a farce, well the same old rotten system as usual, just dressed up in new clothes.
