Rural areas get no help in mini-budget despite higher cost of living, says Shropshire MP
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan challenged the Chancellor on the lack of support for rural areas during the announcement of his mini budget in Parliament.
The Lib Dem MP said the Government was prioritising the rich after the Conservatives cut the top rate of tax and axed the cap on bankers’ bonuses
She stood up in the debate on the Conservative’s mini budget to say that people in rural areas are being hit hardest by the cost-of-living crisis yet are receiving no support.
"The Government is out of touch with rural Britain," she said.
Ms Morgan also told the house that the Rural Services Network said those living in rural areas had significantly higher costs, due predominately to having to use private transport and off-grid heating.
"They also earn less than their urban counterparts," she said.
Speaking after the mini budget she said: “The Conservative Government seems determined to let people in rural areas suffer.
“Today’s mini budget was a chance for them to show they understand the scale of the problems people in North Shropshire are dealing with.
“Instead the Chancellor prioritised increasing banker bonuses and protecting the profits of oil and gas giants over offering much-needed support with the cost of living.
“As City bankers celebrate, families across North Shropshire are left wondering how they will afford to heat their homes this winter having been offered just £100 of support for their heating oil bills.
“Taxpayers in rural areas already face far higher costs than the rest of the country and have to cope with the worst standard of services, transport and broadband connections.
“Now they are being burdened with billions of pounds worth of Government borrowing and are getting no investment in return. It’s not fair and it’s not good enough.”
Liberal Democrats are calling for:
A fully implemented windfall tax on oil and gas giants
A price cap on heating oil and LPG for off-grid homes
Scrapping the planned cut to corporation tax and planned lift on bankers' bonus caps
Guaranteed support for businesses with energy costs for one year, not just six months, to provide greater certainty
Domestic energy prices to be frozen at what they are now, instead of being hiked again next month
Investment in a winter rescue plan for the NHS to recruit more doctors, dentists and paramedics.
