Barnet needed a budget that provided immediate and long-term help for those struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. It needed a budget that invested in public services and helped build back our community after the devastation of Covid. It needed an economic plan to invest in innovation and sustainable growth, and to get us to Net Zero.

An announcement from the Government that did nothing for Barnet would have been bad enough, but what the Government unveiled yesterday actively makes things even worse. In the aftermath of the Chancellor’s statement the markets tumbled, and the pound crashed.

Instead of a sound economic plan we have a rehash of ‘trickledown economics’ – the failed Thatcherite theory that throwing money at the rich mysteriously benefits everyone else. It didn’t in the 80’s, and it won’t now.

Our communities struggling with record demand for food banks desperately need help.

There was no money for the poorest and most vulnerable.

Our families are struggling to pay their rent or get on the housing ladder.

There was no money to build more genuinely affordable homes.

Our residents living in fuel poverty need support.

There was no additional money for insulating and retrofitting homes.

Our small businesses are struggling with high costs and supply chain disruption.

There was little money to give small businesses relief.

Our schools need funding to help pupils affected by Covid to catch up.

There was no money for schools.

Our patients have long waits for A&E (less than a month ago I had to attend A&E and I had a 12 hour wait).

There was no additional money for the NHS.

Our low paid workers – the backbone of this country – desperately in need of a pay rise to cope with rampant inflation.

There was no money for workers.

Our transport system’s funding in London has been slashed hard. It needs investment to grow the network.

There was no money to help.

Our councils are struggling with increased demand for services.

There was no certainty over council funding.

At a time when the war in Ukraine has highlighted our worrying dependence on fossil fuels, the Government wants to start fracking – an ecological disaster that most members of the Government admit won’t deal with the immediate crisis and isn’t a viable solution.

The energy companies will have their mega profits protected, paid for by the taxpayer for decades to come putting Britain in even greater debt.
And the super-rich have got tax cuts and boosts to bankers’ bonuses.

It’s an economic disaster in the making.
And who will be paying for this? Not those who can afford it the most. It’s middle and lower-income families that must shoulder the burden. Just as they have under austerity.

This Government isn’t trying to tackle inequality, make life fairer or protect the environment. They’re actively doing the opposite.