Budget leaves questions for North West and workers, says TUC

Lynn Collins, Regional Secretary of the North West Trade Union Congress

The Chancellor has misses an opportunity to help North West workers and leaves questions rather than answers to the problems faced.

Commenting on the Budget set out by the Chancellor today, Lynn Collins, TUC Regional Secretary for the North West Lynn Collins said: “The announcements today by the Chancellor will leave workers across the region asking more questions than they answer.

"With workers set to be worth £800 a year less by 2021 than expected in the budget in March, the Chancellor has missed an opportunity to take action; by giving low paid workers the boost they need, and removing the restraints on public sector pay for all workers.

"We have seen this week the impact that this squeeze has had on workers here in the North West.”

“Whilst we welcome the investment in intra-city transport infrastructure for both Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region. But this isn’t the West-East, Crossrail for the North that we need and want. The closest mention was off Wi-fi on TransPennine trains, hardly the game-changing budget we were promised.”

“We will be looking at what the government is offering Greater Manchester for a city-region based industrial strategy. Given our calls for an industrial strategy that works for people and places, centred on great jobs, we will have a lot to positively contribute.”