Liz McInnes criticises Autumn Statement

Liz McInnes MP

Liz McInnes, MP for Heywood and Middleton, has criticised the Chancellor for completely ignoring the crisis in social care in his Autumn Statement.

Ms MP saids: "In his Autumn Statement the Chancellor made absolutely no mention of social care, completely ignoring the crisis which is causing hardship and worry to millions of the most vulnerable members of our communities, but he found plenty of things to say about a stately home in Yorkshire and how he will give millions of pounds of public money to restore it. That tells us everything we need to know about this government’s priorities.

"Young people were also ignored by the Chancellor. In fact, the only time he mentioned them was when he said the restoration of the Yorkshire stately home would preserve it for ‘future generations’. So, they’ll have a home, it just won’t be one they’re able to live in.

"The minimum wage for apprenticeships remains unchanged at a paltry £3.40 per hour, and the increase in the so-called National Living Wage won’t benefit anybody under the age of 25.

"Meanwhile, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has today said that the outlook for wage growth is ‘dreadful’, with workers set to earn less in real terms in 2021 than they did in 2008.

"This is all before we even mention the £59 billion of extra public borrowing in the next 5 years required due to Brexit, and the fact that the national debt is expected to reach £1.95 trillion by 2020-21. We have been told for 6 years that the Tories would balance the books but they are further away from doing that than ever before.

"These are difficult times for our country and our economy and the Chancellor’s statement does not give confidence that he or his government are capable of acting in the interests of ordinary working people. They are either incompetent or are wilfully ignorant of the damage they are doing and Britain deserves better than this failing government."