Budget 2025: Shropshire MPs brand budget 'botched' and 'devastating'
Shropshire MPs have been reacting to Chancellor Rachel Reeves's budget with one blasting the financial statement as "disastrous" for the rural economy.
Stuart Anderson, MP for South Shropshire said Rachel Reeves' autumn budget was "devastating" and will "cripple" the rural economy with more tax hikes on incomes, savings, and property.
Mr Anderson said that the measures will be disastrous for rural communities like South Shropshire - including farmers and pensioners, who will be hit by more tax hikes.
Ahead of the Budget, he said had urged the Chancellor to tackle the rural productivity gap by ruling out tax hikes on working people and ensuring fair funding for rural public services.
However, he said the Chancellor has revealed more than a dozen tax rises, which are worth more than £26 billion.
Stuart has added that this will drive a "doom loop" of higher spending, higher borrowing, and higher taxes.
Mr Anderson said: "The Chancellor Rachel Reeves should resign after delivering a devastating autumn Budget that will cripple the rural economy with more tax hikes on incomes, savings, and property.
"Under this government, the cost of living has already gone up by over a thousand pounds. Now, the Chancellor has announced a multi-billion-pound round of tax hikes that will hit rural communities the worst.
"The autumn Budget is devastating for areas like South Shropshire – including our farmers and pensioners, who will be hit by even more tax hikes. It means extra council tax for local families and will place pubs and cafes under even more pressure.
"Ahead of the Budget, I had urged the Chancellor to close the rural productivity gap by ruling further out tax hikes and ensuring fair funding for rural public services. However, the Chancellor's decisions drive a doom loop of higher spending, higher borrowing and higher taxes that is disastrous for the rural economy.
"Growth has been downgraded for every year, while unemployment is up, and inflation is almost double the target. I will continue to campaign for more investment to deliver on local priorities, protect jobs, and enhance public services in South Shropshire."
Meanwhile Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, Helen Morgan branded the budget "botched."
She said: “Labour was elected on a promise of tackling the cost-of-living crisis and growing the economy, yet once again this botched Budget failed to do either. The Government is letting down Britain and letting down Shropshire by hiking taxes while at the same time ignoring rural areas.
“Families and pensioners are struggling to get by, businesses are going bust, High Streets have been hit hard, and farmers fear the impact of damaging inheritance tax changes. For the people of North Shropshire struggling with higher bills, all this budget offers is higher taxes.”
