Virendra Sharma says it failed to deliver solutions to current crisis

The Ealing Southall MP,Virendra Sharma, has condemned the budget saying it fails to properly tackle current major issues.

He says the three crises of coronavirus, climate change and social care problems follow of a decade of decline and cuts under the Conservatives, with life expectancy stalling, homelessness rising, rampant regional inequalities and a lack of preparedness for the coronavirus outbreak.

Mr Sharma MP said: “this budget has failed to deliver solutions to the problems facing Britain today. Ten years of Tory Government have left us unprepared to face coronavirus, climate change, and the crisis in social care.

Boris Johnson is a part-time Prime Minister and the government is offering hollow promises and half-measures. This Budget offers none of this and risks another five years of disappointment. This Budget is not an end to austerity, has not delivered investment, and has not delivered security for workers.”

The MP points to The Institute for Fiscal Studies which reported that a further £54 billion of current spending is needed to return departmental spending per head to 2009/2010 levels – austerity will be “baked in” to the economy, as the IFS says.

He's calling on The Chancellor to do more to prepare for what he describes as 'the immense economic damage' that could be caused by coronavirus.

Mr Sharma says Labour's vision for work, wages, and wellbeing, should be implemented rapidly to respond to coronavirus – and to tackle the crisis in social care.

There is also an urgent need for an end to austerity and Universal Credit, a reversal of tax cuts to the rich, and an end to the scandals of privatisation and outsourcing. The Labour Party has also publicly committed to fight for the scale of investment needed to tackle the climate emergency.

March 12 2020