Labour’s St Helens North MP Conor McGinn, responding to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement in Parliament today, said:
“George Osborne’s u-turn on cuts to policing is welcome. But let’s not forget that the Merseyside force has already been subjected to huge reductions in funding under this Tory Government.
“Likewise, the decision not to cut tax credits will provide some short-term relief to working families in St Helens who have seen costs rising and wages falling, but in 2018 all families will still suffer the full cuts under Universal Credits.
“At first glance this Autumn Statement includes even further cuts to local government funding alongside a plan to place the burden for paying for social care on to local authorities. I have huge concerns about the impact this will have in place like St Helens.
“Other than that, all we have seen today is more smoke and mirrors on growth forecasts, tax receipts and the deficit from George Osborne who seems to either get the sums wrong or change the question mid-exam, or in most cases simply make it up as he goes along.”