Budget will fail those struggling with Labour's recession

3.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 22nd Apr 2009

The Budget will do nothing for ordinary residents of Edinburgh North & Leith, who have been clobbered by rising food, fuel and transport prices, local Liberal Democrat have said.

The Budget was criticised for failing to give much needed help to those struggling in recession by refusing to back Liberal Democrat calls to cut income tax by £700 for the vast majority of people.

Commenting, local parliamentary candidate Kevin Lang said:

"As the cost of food, heating, water and transport continue to rise, families in Edinburgh haven't been given any practical help by the Government.

"People who aren't on huge salaries are noticing more and more of their cash is going on the basics. Gordon Brown should be putting money back into their pockets by cutting income tax for the vast majority of taxpayers by £700.

"Britain's taxes are too heavy on those who can least afford it and too easy to avoid for those who know how.

"Labour is out of ideas and out of steam. This Government has condemned us to years of unemployment and a decade of debt. The country deserves something different."

Nick Clegg has described today's Budget as "a pick and mix Budget of recycled announcements from a government skilled in raising people's hopes but incompetent at actually delivering help."

Responding to Alistair Darling's Budget, Nick Clegg said: "Today we got a pick and mix Budget of recycled announcements from a government skilled in raising people's hopes but incompetent at actually delivering help.

"The Liberal Democrats would get practical help to people who are struggling and cut the vast majority of people's Income Tax bills by £700, paid for by taking aggressive action to clamp down on all the loopholes and exemptions that benefit the richest people and biggest businesses.

"This Budget is a political supermarket sweep of random promises, without even a hint of a plan or any likelihood the promises will be put into practice.

"The country deserves something different."

John Barrett, the Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, who had been fighting for proposals to help people on low and middle incomes added:

"With this Budget the Government has continued down the same wasteful road, failing to give people in Edinburgh and across the country the help they need.

"Pushing ahead with the useless VAT cut is an unforgivable waste of money which should have been invested in building programmes to create greener jobs and kick-start the economy.

"Small businesses across Scotland are struggling because of a lack of credit, yet ministers are still failing to take a tougher line with the banks to get them lending again.

"And instead of taking action to help the lower earners struggling in the recession, the Government has pushed ahead with a tax plan which will still let the super-rich dodge paying their fair share.