COVENTRY community leaders have been giving their reaction to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn statement.
The document included £26billion of help for the cost-of-living crisis, including continued energy support.
Tax changes are set to raise £25billion, with the threshold higher earners start to pay the 45p rate being reduced from £150,000 to £125,140.
Mr Hunt said: “There is a global energy crisis, a global inflation crisis and a global economic crisis, but with this plan for stability, growth and public services, we will face the storm.”
Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana spoke in Parliament, where she called on Mr Hunt to introduce free school meals to all Primary School children.
Speaking after the statement, Ms Sultana said: “It’s disgraceful that in one of the richest countries in the world, millions of children are growing up in poverty.
She accused the Chancellor of ‘protecting tax dodgers rather than feed hungry kids.’
“12 years of Conservative rule has made life harder and harder for people here in Coventry and across the country.”
According to the ‘No Child Left Behind’ campaign website, an estimated one in three children in Coventry are currently growing up in poverty.
Coventry North West MP Taiwo Owatemi added: “Following Liz Truss’ disastrous 44 days in Downing Street, we were told we would now get ‘economic stability’ and ‘compassion’, but this Autumn statement delivered on neither of these promises.
“Instead, it is hard-working people in Coventry who will continue to pay the price for 12 years of Conservative economic failure.
“Rather than tackling the worsening cost-of-living crisis head-on, the Chancellor has only delivered a further double-whammy for families struggling to make ends meet.
“Whilst the government’s ‘energy price guarantee’ will be extended beyond April 2023, a typical household will still see their energy bill rise by more than £500 to over £3,000 in the spring, at a time when constituents I speak to simply cannot afford to pay more.
“On top of this, the Chancellor’s decision to freeze the personal tax allowance will cost the average earner more than £600 a year.”
The chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP, Sarah Windrum said: “I’m sure most business leaders will agree with the growth priorities announced in the Autumn Statement – focused on energy, infrastructure, and innovation.
“It was also good to see the commitment to Wave two of the Levelling Up Fund with the same £1.7billion for regions across the UK.
“But we didn’t see any detail on business support including assistance with dramatically increasing energy costs which continues to be ‘coming soon’.
“Businesses across all sectors need to know now whether help is really on its way.”
