By Matt Rodda
The summer is drawing to a close and the tell-tale signs of autumn are starting to emerge.
Families and pensioners are still feeling the effects of Liz Truss’s disastrous mini budget and the subsequent choices by Rishi Sunak and his chancellor.
The lasting impact of higher mortgage rates are here to stay adding hundreds of pounds to monthly payments and energy bills are still twice what they were 18 months ago.
Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has set out plans that would deliver the economic growth we want and generate the tax income we need to pay for our public services. We also need to be realistic about the economic challenges that the next Government will inherit.
Growth has been almost non-existent in Britain, in contrast the economies of the Eurozone and the United States have grown more embarked on ambition programmes to combat inflation and invest in the transition to green energy.
The Chancellor and the Prime Minister have also committed the UK to the highest tax burden on businesses and families in almost 70 years but the results of this smash and grab approach to family finances isn’t delivering what we need.
It’s still very difficult to see a GP or an NHS dentist, waiting lists are going up and schools and police are under pressure.
But because of the choices made by the Government, the money to solve these problems is not there.
That is why I am clear that we have to be serious about growing our economy, to create the new jobs and raise wages which in turn can generate the wealth we need to rebuild our country.
Matt Rodda is the Labour MP for Reading East
