Chancellor’s budget a “missed opportunity”

Responding to Rachel Reeves’ second Autumn Budget this week, Mr Thomas condemned the Government for failing to deliver the investment needed to end the cost-of-living crisis in Gloucestershire.

Branding the budget as a “missed opportunity”, Cameron criticised the Government for its “tax bombshell”, after it extended the freeze in tax thresholds.

In a budget which excluded any reference to the climate or green energy, Cameron observed that the Chancellor’s plan to reduce energy bills would not come into force until April 2026, leaving many facing an uncertain winter. The government will also introduce by-the-mile taxation for electric vehicles, which may dissuade those considering the switch.

Cameron said: “My constituents need immediate relief from the high cost of energy bills, and the Liberal Democrats recently announced a plan to make large banks pay for the green energy levy, reducing bills for residents by £90. Unfortunately, this Government has declined to listen. We have a broader plan to halve energy bills by 2035.

“The Chancellor can see the problems, but she won’t fix them. She has taken yet another opportunity to paper over the cracks rather than change course and tackle the cost-of-living crisis head-on. “Only recently I told the Government in the House of Commons, that their last budget risked killing our historic high streets. A rise in the Digital Services Tax on tech giants, from 2% to 10% would have generated £4bn from companies such as those owned by Elon Musk, and a windfall tax on large banks could raise as much as £30bn. Instead, my small business owners are telling me they are now facing a 170% rise in their business rates. This Budget is yet another shambles from a Chancellor who does not understand rural constituencies such as ours.

“As Parliament and the country digests this latest Budget, I will continue to speak up for our area”.