Sam Collins calls on Hitchin & Harpenden MP Bim Afolami to oppose Kwasi Kwarteng’s “shambolic” budget

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Hitchin & Harpenden, Sam Collins has called on Bim Afolami to oppose Kwasi Kwarteng’s “shambolic” budget.

The call comes after the pound plummeted to a record low against the dollar, which will directly result in rising food & petrol prices as well as spiking mortgage interest rates. 

The Liberal Democrats are demanding Parliament be recalled this week, so that urgent action can be taken to address the unfolding disaster. They’re also calling for a tougher windfall tax on oil and gas giants to help people and businesses with their bills, and new investment in local health services. 

Sam Collins said, “The Chancellor’s out of touch and shambolic budget has been exposed as a reckless gamble, yet to my astonishment the MP for Hitchin & Harpenden said that he was ‘reassured’ by it.  The Conservatives are giving huge unfunded tax cuts mainly to the rich, while neglecting local health services and hammering ordinary people with years of tax hikes. 

“People I’ve spoken to are really concerned about being landed with higher bills, higher taxes and higher mortgage payments thanks to the government’s incompetence.

“Afolami should actually listen to the concerns from our community, vote down this shambolic budget and back Liberal Democrat calls to support local people and businesses instead.

"The Liberal Democrats are calling for an expanded windfall tax on oil and gas giants, a scrapping of the planned cut to corporation tax, a scrapping of the planned lift on bankers bonus caps and a guarantee of support for businesses with energy costs for one year, not just six months, to provide greater certainty and freeze domestic energy prices at what they are now, instead of hiking them again next month.

"The Lib Dems also demand that the Government invest in a winter rescue plan for the NHS to recruit more doctors, dentists and paramedics."