Budget SLAMMED as ‘so left-wing it would make Ed Miliband appear right of centre’

Wednesday the 11th of March brought Boris Johnson’s government and the Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s first budget. The opening section of the budget was littered with more than a tinge of Coronavirus contingency planning. Sunak stated that “productive capacity will shrink” due to the virus albeit that this will be temporary. Sunak spoke of a three-point plan to deal with the virus. Point one made available whatever extra resources the NHS needs to deal with Coronavirus. The second was that those that fall ill will be eligible for statutory sick pay from day one that they are told to self-isolate for up to two weeks. The third being that businesses with less than 250 employees will be able to claim a refund for the sick pay paid from the government. 

Sunak then went on to speak of targets for 1.1% growth in 2020, followed by 1.8% in 2021 and 1.5% growth in 2022. Fairly turgid stuff. The budget falls within the government’s fiscal rules according to the OBR, Sunak claimed. This did not stop considerable social media criticism. The prominent Twitter account @MoggMentum said: “A budget so left-wing it would make Ed Miliband appear right of centre, HS2 and Huawei.. Once we leave the EU, we need to find a new leader. Boris may finally secure us Brexit but other than that, his tenure is set to be a failure. Jacob Rees-Mogg or Priti Patel must take over”. 

This criticism could have been as a result of a proposed further increase in the ‘National Living Wage’ to over £10 per hour by 2024 or 2/3 of the median annual earnings. Other twitter users such as @NormanC22539415 took an alternative view: “This was a budget offering industry & the population support in the light of the virus and also to help the country cope after we finally sever our links with the EU in December. Boris did the right thing. No doubt about it”. 

As brought to you earlier in the week on UNN Rishi Sunak abolished the ‘Tampon Tax’. He was free to do this outside of EU regulations from December. Sunak finished with an abolition of the so-called ‘Reading Tax’. Sunak then made a gag at his counterparts’ expense John McDonnell. Sunak stated that even fantasy novels such as “John McDonnell’s economics for the many” would now be free from tax. Dan Hodges hit the nail on the head on Twitter “if this budget works it will vindicate just about everything McDonnell has ever said on economics”.

Opinion:

UNN is a truly alternative news organisation delivering live shows, articles, outside broadcasts and so much more! We desperately need your support to continue each month and you can support our work by Clicking Here Now and SUBSCRIBING to show your support for Real News!