Political View: Chancellor’s missed opportunity

It was not expected to contain any tax rises; some would argue we saw enough of those in her Budget last Autumn. But there were some worrying cuts to social security benefits, particularly for some people with disabilities.

As Lib Dem deputy leader, Daisy Cooper, said in her response: "Cutting support for someone who needs help getting dressed and washed in the morning isn't just wrong, it does absolutely nothing to support that person into work."

Overall she described the Chancellor's statement as a "massive missed opportunity".

The Chancellor said the reason for the proposed cuts to the budgets of many government departments was a lack of growth in the economy. But the real irony of this is that some of the measures introduced by Ms Reeves herself in last year's budget were at least in part responsible for this lack of growth.

To take one example: the increases in employers' National Insurance contributions have, as predicted, hit hard at many small and medium sized businesses. Even worse, they have imposed extra costs on GP surgeries and agencies employing care workers, thus making it even harder for the Government to deliver the step change improvements in health and social care that Labour promised at last year's General Election. Lib Dems have argued that it would be better to scrap this tax rise and instead put more tax on the excessive profits made in the UK by the big tech companies, banks and online gaming sites.

But another big reason for a sluggish economy, is the act of economic self harm caused by Britain leaving the European Union and in particular the single market and the customs union. Lib Dems have estimated that the number of additional forms that have needed to be filled in by British businesses wanting to trade with EU countries since Brexit, if laid end to end, would wrap round the Earth's equator at least 15 times!

We have seen the Tories' botched trade deal with the EU which is hampering British businesses every day. Not only has the promised trade deal with the USA never materialised but President Trump is now imposing swinging tariffs on our cars and steel exports to the USA. Lib Dems have called for an immediate start to negotiations for a new customs union between Britain and the EU, with a view to our rejoining the EU single market at an appropriate time in future years.

Turning more specifically to Peterborough, in a few weeks the City Council is launching its much awaited consultation on a new "Local Plan". Please do read the consultation and respond, as this is the plan which will guide new house building and associated employment and infrastructure over the next 30 years or more.

Or, to be more accurate, the Local Plan will guide where the new houses will go, not how many there will be, as the new Labour government has imposed mandatory housing targets on every council. Concerns were raised at a recent City Council budget scrutiny meeting about proposed housing developments at Castor and a smaller one on the site of the current "Green Backyard" .

These sites remain in the draft plan but residents will have a chance to comment on them during the consultation. After that, the Council will produce its final version of the plan, which will be put before a planning inspector at an "examination in public", before the plan is (hopefully) finalised towards the end of 2026.