Budget 2017: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn blasts Philip Hammond's 'record of failure with a forecast of more to come'
The Labour leader said he believed the Chancellor’s Budget would unravel in a matter of days
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Your support makes all the difference.Jeremy Corbyn has condemned Philip Hammond’s second Budget as Chancellor, claiming it demonstrates a “record of failure with a forecast of more to come”.
Mr Corbyn told MPs that the test of a Budget “is how it affects the reality of people’s lives all around this country”, adding that he believes it will unravel in the days ahead as “the reality will be a lot of people will be no better off and the misery many are in will be continuing”.
The Labour leader, who did not get advance sight of Mr Hammond’s Budget, criticised the Government for repeatedly pushing back its target to eliminate Britain’s deficit, as well as the rise in rough sleeping.
Claiming 120,000 children would spend this Christmas living in temporary accommodation, he said: “Three new pilot schemes for rough sleepers simply doesn’t cut it.
“It’s a disaster for those people sleeping on our streets, forced to beg for the money for a night shelter,” he added. “They’re looking for action now from government to give them a roof over their heads.”
Mr Corbyn cited cuts to police officer numbers and rising levels of in-work poverty. He also criticised the Government for failing to take action to tackle credit card debt.
“Debt is being racked up because the Government is weak on those who exploit people, such as rail companies hiking up fares above inflation year on year, and water companies and energy suppliers,” said the Labour leader.
Mr Corbyn also criticised the Government’s measures on housing, saying very little was mentioned about the private rented sector – even though landlords were paid £10bn in housing benefit.
“With this Government delivering the worst rate of house building since the 1920s and 250,000 fewer council homes, any commitment would be welcome,” he said.
“But we’ve been here before. The Government promised 200,000 starter homes three years ago. Not a single one has yet been built in those three years.
“We need a large scale publicly funded house-building programme, not this Government’s accounting tricks and empty promises.”
Concluding his speech, Mr Corbyn said: “We were promised with lots of hype a revolutionary Budget, the reality is nothing has changed.
“People were looking for help from this Budget and they have been let down: let down by a Government that, like the economy they have presided over, is weak and unstable and in need of urgent change.
“They call this a Budget fit for the future, the reality is this is a Government no longer fit for office.”
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