Thoughts on the chancellors budget
At a time when the double whammy of Coronavirus and Brexit are hitting the UK economy, as the Country is seeing the biggest economic decline in 300 years and borrowing has risen steeply at 394billion (highest borrowing since WWII), the pay freeze for police, firefighters and millions of other public sector employees completely ignores that these key workers have been on the frontline alongside the healthcare professionals throughout the pandemic, it will be a bitter pill to swallow.
Particularly bitter, when the chancellor confirmed the divisive and 2022 festival receives another £29 million. The event, which will cost a total of £120million has been dubbed the Festival of Brexit. Hardly a unifying event. And was that ever poisoned event of the decade mentioned - Brexit, no not even once. Jaw dropping, that so large an event with such an impact could be missed out of a budget!
The Government it seems, can find money for its pet projects, such as eat out to help out which helped fuel the second wave of Covid, for its dubious PPE procurement contracts (NB.: The Good Law project have been given permission to bring a review over the governments systematic failure to be transparent in awarding contracts) and for its truly awful outsourced track and trace system, but not for it's own citizens.
And as ever where was social care and their 2019 manifesto promises .......
Not to mention the reduction of overseas aid, yes that budget that Dominic Raab just a few short months ago said in the house in response to specific question by Lib Dem MP Wendy Chamberlain .. and I quote "We are committed to the 0.7% of GNI commitment, which is something she asked. I can give her reassurance about that." Yet another U-turn and another broken promise.
This is a poor use of taxpayers money, and the Country is seeing a level of cronyism amongst conservatives not seen for many years.
It is also a remarkably unambitious budget, there could have been more infrastructure investment, more for the green economy, more incentives for people but it's almost as if they have no ambition.