Budget 2010: solid foundation for recovery based on growth and fairness

Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Bosworth has welcomed Alistair Darling’s Budget Statement. Rory Palmer has described this year’s Budget as “setting a solid foundation for a recovery based on growth and fairness.”

The Budget sets out more help for families and businesses, building on the support put in place by the Labour Government to help people and businesses through the recession:

• Spending will go up in 2010/11 and will not be cut to lock in the recovery

• Businesses will be given longer to pay their tax bills
• On jobs the Young Person’s Guarantee will be extended, to ensure that young people are guaranteed a job, training or work experience if they cannot find work within six months
• Extra funding for investment in our transport infrastructure including new money for road repairs for those roads damaged in the recent cold weather
• To help families and young people there will be a two year Stamp Duty holiday for first-time buyers on homes worth up to £250,000
• From April 2010 there will be extra £100 payments into the Child Trust Fund for disabled children and £200 for severely disabled children
• There will be a 2.5% increase in the Basic State Pension from April 2010, benefiting over 12 million pensioners across the country

Rory Palmer said:
“The Budget clearly sets out that families and businesses in Hinckley and Bosworth will have a fairer future with Labour. The Budget is about setting a solid foundation for recovery based on growth and fairness.”

“Jobs are crucial to the recovery and it would be a disaster to slam on the breaks and make massive cuts in public spending as proposed by the Conservatives. Labour will continue leading Britain into recovery, with a sensible plan to halve the deficit and to protect frontline services. The Conservatives will put this recovery at risk.”

“It is vital that frontline services are protected. Lifeline services like the NHS are vital and that’s why with Labour the frontline NHS budget will increase in line with inflation in 2011/12 and 2012/13. Frontline spending in schools will go up in real terms and spending on Sure Start will be maintained in line with inflation. These things matter to families I speak to across the constituency and I will always argue to protect investment in them.”

“Dignity and protection in old age has always been a priority for me. As your MP I will always speak up for the rights of pensioners and that’s why I am pleased to see the continuation of the extra payments on top of the Winter Fuel Payment. These payments are worth £100 to households with someone over-80, and £50 to households with someone over the female State Pension age. This money makes a real difference and Labour will always help our pensioners.”

“I am looking forward to discussing the Budget and what it means to local families and businesses in the coming days and weeks. I believe this Budget sets out a clear and bold plan for Britain’s economic recovery. The Conservatives are a real risk to this recovery, as we saw in the recession they oppose real government action to create jobs and drive growth.”

If you would like to ask Rory a question about this year's Budget or discuss with him how it will effect your family or business then please get in touch by e-mailing budget2010@rorypalmer.org.

For further information about the Budget see:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2010.htm