Simon Danczuk MP comments on Budget

Simon Danczuk MP welcomed Retail Ready People to Rochdale

Commenting on today’s budget, Simon Danczuk MP said: “There was a depressing sense of déjà vu in that once again George Osborne had to downgrade growth forecasts. Hearing the Chancellor admit that growth will be down next year was a painful reminder that this Government is completely failing to get Britain’s economy growing.

“There were a few welcome measures – and I am pleased that the Armed Forces will get a pay rise – but on the whole this was not the medicine we need to get Britain growing again. How the Chancellor can have the nerve to claim he is making our tax system more competitive when he continues to clobber small businesses with unfair business rates is beyond me.

“There was nothing in the Budget for the high street, as the Chancellor confirmed that retailers will have to pay an extra £175million in business rates this year. That’s over half a billion of tax rises the Chancellor has hit struggling businesses on the high street with in just two years. In Rochdale traders on the high street are being hit by nearly £2million in business rates increases this year and it’s causing enormous damage. This is not a budget to help the biggest private sector employer in this country. It’s one that makes their existence even harder and puts thousands of jobs at risk.”