Steve McCabe MP (Birmingham Selly Oak) has called out the Chancellor’s Spring Statement saying it is clear austerity is far from over.
Damning figures from the Office for Budget Responsibility report that the UK economy is set to grow by 1.3%, the slowest growth in 9 years. The Government’s shambolic handling of Brexit is creating economic uncertainty as we see a downgrade from the 1.6% growth that was predicted last October.
Steve McCabe welcomed the announcement of a specific funding package aimed at concerns over knife crime in England following mounting public alarm at the growth in knife crime among young people, an increase which saw 3 young men tragically lose their lives in Birmingham in the space of 12 days, but the MP says this is unlikely to amount to much more than £2-4M per police force and won’t go far in repairing the damage of devastating budget cuts experienced by West Midlands police who have lost 24% of government funding since 2010. The MP is also disappointed that no new investment was announced for our schools and other vital local services.
Commenting on the statement Steve McCabe MP said:
“This was a lacklustre performance, last year he claimed austerity was over but today’s statement shows that to be just another empty promise from a Government in office but not in power. The Chancellor says we need to be prudent because of uncertainties around Brexit as he announced the slowest predicted economic growth in years. We know what years of under-investment has done to our local services, resulting in a huge rise in crime, schools closing early and foodbank use at record levels
“I wanted to see the Chancellor invest in our schools, recognise the extent of the difficulties the police face and support local services but instead we got more of the same. Again and again my constituents suffer directly at the hands of this shambolic and hapless Government. I’ve had enough, my constituents have had enough, and Birmingham has had enough.”
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