'The Budget today was not bold enough': Darling delivers his verdict

Torbay MP Steve Darling has said the Autumn Budget does not do enough to address the cost of living crisis or provide adequate support for the hospitality industry.

His message to the Chancellor was clear: “The Budget today was not bold enough.”

Chancellor John Healey delivered the Autumn Budget at lunchtime today (October 28), under the overarching message of ‘Breathing space for today, hope for the future’.

He described it as a budget for “the working people of Britain”, outlining a series of measures intended to help households and businesses manage ongoing economic pressures.

One of the announcements was a £100 payment for 20 million households in council tax bands A to D in England, intended to help with household energy costs.

The Chancellor also announced plans to remove standing charges from household gas bills, extend the VAT cut on electricity bills until July 2027 and extend the freeze on fuel duty until July.

Other measures included reducing import tariffs on more than 100 food and drink products in an effort to bring down prices, alongside changes to tax-free mileage rates for people who use their vehicles for work.

However, Mr Darling argued that the measures did not go far enough to help households facing continued financial pressures.

He said: “Although some measures were announced to help people with their energy bills, such as the one off £100 pound payment for people in Council Tax bands A-D, this is just not enough considering the ongoing damage of Trump’s war in Iran.”

Mr Darling also voiced concerns over the lack of measures for the hospitality industry.

He said: “I was bitterly disappointed to see the lack of support for our Hospitality Industry, I have been campaigning for a temporary 5% cut in VAT.”

This issue is particularly significant in Torbay, where hospitality plays an important role in the local economy.

The Chancellor did announce the increase of the threshold for Small ​Business Rate Relief for retail, ​hospitality and leisure businesses from £12,000 ⁠to £18,000.

The government estimates that this will exempt around 70,000 businesses from paying business rates altogether, roughly half of all shops, restaurants and gyms.

However, the budget did not introduce the temporary VAT cut sought by Mr Darling and many other Liberal Democrats.

Mr Darling also used his response to the budget to reiterate his call for greater support for Torbay Hospital.

He said: “I will also continue to demand significantly greater investment in Torbay Hospital, and for the rebuild of the Hospital, as set out in the New Hospitals Programme, to be brought forward.’