This is a progressive Labour budget that makes the right choices to get our economy and public services back on track, so I’m really pleased with what the Chancellor has announced today.
I’m particularly pleased by the fair choices that will make a real difference to people in our city who stand to get more money in their pockets. I’m proud of this Labour government’s actions to support families that already includes free breakfast clubs and the expansion of free school meals, and now we are scrapping the Tories’ cruel two-child cap on Universal Credit that plunged 1 in 9 children into poverty, with most of their families actually in work. At a stroke, this will benefit an as many as 2,850 children in Southampton Itchen and boost their future health, attainment and life chances, as well as saving public money in the long term. Meanwhile, action on everyday expenses like energy bills, petrol pump prices, rail fares and prescriptions is something that will be felt in people’s pockets.
As someone who has called for more support for local hospitality and other small businesses, I’m also pleased to see the government taking action to protect Southampton’s high streets and retail centres by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible business properties. I want to see these in place as soon as possible so our local businesses get that benefit, and I look forward to continuing my conversations with local employers and colleagues in government to see how we can continue to support these vital parts of Southampton’s economy.
Fixing nearly a decade and a half of Tory economic mismanagement obviously can’t be fixed overnight, so I recognise we are asking everyone to contribute to this effort. But this is a package that makes fair choices, driven by Labour values, to support ordinary people in Southampton and continues to deliver on the change we promised.