Spring statement: Glasgow politicians slam Rishi Sunak’s budget announcement

Mr Sunak announced that that the basic rate of income tax would be cut from 20p to 19p in the pound from 202 - which, as 19p is already the rate in Scotland, will see the Scottish Government’s budget increased instead.

He also raised the National Insurance earning threshold so anyone who earns less than £12,570 will not pay income tax or NI, cut fuel duty by 5p and scrapped the five per cent VAT rate on a range of energy efficiency home improvements.

Glasgow politicians react

MSP Pam Duncan Glancy appeared on BBC Debate Night on Wednesday and said the changes were “in no way enough whatsoever”.

“5p on fuel duty - you’re going to have to fill your tanks up pretty often to try and get the money back that you’re gonna have to spend on energy bills. It’s ludicrous.

“When you think that people on the lowest incomes are going to see an about £850 increase in their energy bills, it is not enough.”

Ms Duncan Glancy said that a cut to VAT on energy bills, a windfall tax on oil and energy companies, and a reverse on the £20 cut to Universal Credit should have been made.

MP for Glasgow East, David Linden, reacted to the Spring Statement on Twitter, saying: “60% of Glaswegians don’t have access to a car, huge numbers live in social housing and even those who own their own homes can’t afford the capital costs for installing solar panels. Hard to see how those policies trickle through to help those in our city.

“Rishi Sunak failed to face the #CostOfLivingCrisis yesterday and in a few days, families will face added the added misery of soaring energy bills. His statement isn’t going to put food on the table. Huge numbers of people face absolute poverty as a result.”

Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central and the SNP Shadow Chancellor, said in Parliament: “This Chancellor has choices.”

She asked why a windfall tax hadn’t been introduced, not only on oil and gas companies, but also on tech giants like Amazon and Netflix.

“There’s nothing in his announcement today for Scotland,” she added. “And we, on these benches, look forward to a day when Scotland has a government with full fiscal powers, to make sure that all of our people, all of them, can have a decent standard of living and that no child goes to bed with an empty tummy in a cold home.”