‘Rachel Reeves’ Budget shows Labor won’t back down on tough decisions’ | Policy

Our ability as a country to rise to challenges makes us proud to be British. In difficult moments, we do not waver, our care and determination unite us to find a way through. This week Rachel Reeves’ budget did just that.

When we came into government, we had no idea of the scale of the challenge we were inheriting from the Conservatives. They had spent all the money and more, making unfunded promises to communities across the country with no way to pay for it. We opened the books and found a £22bn black hole. But our Chancellor Rachel Reeves did not shrink from this, this Government had made a promise that we would restore economic stability to Britain and that is a promise she has kept.

Express readers will know that things have not been easy over the past decade. We have endured stagnant growth, rising house prices, food and energy bills, the NHS on its knees and seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel. Growing our economy from the legacy that has been left to us is no easy feat. It means tough choices, we’ve been clear about that, but we won’t let it fall on our country’s working and most vulnerable to pick up the bill for fixing the mess. conservative the left.

We are now on a new path to restore our economic stability and fix the foundations of the country by fixing the NHS and rebuilding Britain, while protecting the payslips of working people.

We are doing this within our very clear fiscal rules because we will not play fast and loose with the public finances. Firstly, by not borrowing to pay for day-to-day expenses and secondly, a strong investment rule, which will bring down debt while allowing this country to change its pace with despair.

Our NHS has been pushed to the brink of collapse, with millions stuck on waiting lists with no way out. We cannot go on like this and fixing the NHS is a key pillar of what we have set out in the Budget. Our investment will reduce waiting times with the latest technology, while introducing key reforms to make the NHS fit for the future.

We are also investing in our schools to recruit more teachers and build more houses, better roads and other key infrastructure to get the country moving and the economy growing again.

But we know that finding the money to get our country’s finances back on track won’t be easy. That’s why we will not tolerate any waste of taxpayers’ money and have taken tough decisions on spending and welfare. We have taken action against fraud, tax avoidance and waste and will ensure that every penny of taxpayers’ money is spent wisely. This government will ensure that those who make their home in the UK pay their taxes here too by removing non-dom status.

We have always been clear that we will not make workers or the most vulnerable foot the bill for repairs Tories‘ mess.

We have protected triple lockwho will see State pension it rises by £475 next year. We’ve made sure that working people don’t face higher taxes on their payslips, with no increase in VAT, Income Tax or Employee National Insurance. We have protected drivers at the pump with the continued freeze on fuel duty and small businesses will benefit from our increase in Employment Allowance to £10,500.

Our focus is investment, investment, investment. It’s the start of a new chapter in making Britain better, with more pounds in people’s pockets, an NHS that’s there when you need it and businesses that create wealth and opportunity.

This budget wiped the table after conservative‘bad leadership of the country. This is our responsibility as the new Government to do. Now that we have set these plans, we will stick to them and deliver them. Our optimism for the future of this great country is huge, we will seize the opportunities and rebuild Britain.