Chancellor has missed opportunity to deliver change for Stockport

Following today’s Spring Statement, local Liberal Democrat MPs Lisa Smart and Tom Morrison said that the Chancellor “missed her chance” to deliver the change needed across Stockport by scrapping the jobs tax and reforming business rates.

The Spring Statement confirms that taxes will rise on small businesses through the rise in employers’ national insurance contributions. Tom Morrison, Lisa Smart and the Liberal Democrats instead urged the Labour Government to raise money not from local high streets but by asking the big banks, social media giants and online gambling companies to pay their fair share.

Lisa Smart, Lib Dem MP for Hazel Grove Constituency, said: “Across the whole area, people are struggling with eye-watering bills, businesses are buckling under pressure and our public services are crumbling. This Spring Statement was a real opportunity for this government to turn things round for the better, but instead it will just inflict more pain on our small businesses and high streets, cut public services and hit disabled people.

“And Rachel Reeves really has shown that the Government doesn’t understand the rural part our community. The Liberal Democrats will fight for the reversal of the family farm tax, the boosting of rural public transport and a strategy to tackle rural crime.”

Tom Morrison added: “There is no doubt the Conservatives left our economy in tatters, but the Chancellor has missed her chance to deliver the change and growth we need here across Cheadle . I and the Liberal Democrats will campaign for the Government to urgently change course and look to boost growth in much fairer and effective ways, raising money from the banking, tech and gambling giants, not the businesses in our high streets and the farmers in our community.”