Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, speaking in the West Midlands later today will launch Labour’s action plan to protect family budgets.
He will be accompanied by Ed Balls and Rachel Reeves on a visit to a supermarket cafe and then hold a Q&A with members of the public at a local community centre.
He will be accompanied by Ed Balls and Rachel Reeves on a visit to a supermarket cafe and then hold a Q&A with members of the public at a local community centre.
The Labour leader is expected to say:
“One week on from the Budget, one thing is clear: The Conservative Party has betrayed Middle Britain with cuts in child benefit, cut in tax credits and rises in VAT.
“The last week has shown this Government for what it is: one that works for the millionaires – but not for squeezed middle families who work so hard to make ends meet, not for pensioners who have worked hard all their lives and not for young people who can only dream of working at all.
“On Wednesday, George Osborne unveiled a Budget which forces millions to pay more so that millionaires can pay less. He didn’t listen to pensioners but they are now being hit by a new tax on their fixed incomes. He didn’t listen to families who have seen their living standards squeezed like never before while the cost of fuel, food, train tickets and electricity seems to be going up and up. But he is cutting working tax credits next month which will leave thousands of working people better off quitting their jobs. How can that be right?
“He didn’t listen to the squeezed middle.
“No. He listened instead to people earning a minimum of £150,000 a year who had lobbied furiously for a top rate tax cut . He listened and ensured that 14,000 millionaires will each get a hand-out of over £40,000 - while 4.5 million pensioners pay more.
“The Conservative Party is opening its doors to millionaires – and closing the door for squeezed middle families.
“David Cameron once promised to be a different kind of Tory. He said he cared about the NHS and about people struggling to get by. He said the Conservatives were no longer the party of the wealthy few.
“But he has betrayed that promise.
“Last Tuesday, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats used their votes in Parliament to ensure the Health and Social Care Bill passed its final hurdle. They didn’t listen to the doctors, the nurses, the midwives and the patients who warned them this would waste billions of pounds and do huge damage to our NHS.
“So, from the budget to the NHS, David Cameron’s Tory-led Government has revealed its true colours. He is desperately out of touch with the vast majority of people in this country. He has closed the door on the squeezed middle.
“David Cameron prefers to listen to those who have given millions of pounds to the Conservatives Party in exchange for donor dinners and special access in Downing Street.
“Since I became leader of the Labour Party, I’ve spent a lot of time listening. I’ve listened to businesses and I’ve listened to employees. I’ve listened to people in every region, old and young, rich and poor. In scores of these questions and answer sessions, I’ve heard people tell me that they felt Labour did lots of great things in government, re-building our schools and hospitals, cutting crime, and helping families.
“But I’ve also heard people say they felt we lost touch with them in government.
“And I know what you know: that we live in a time when there is less money around. That is true for you and your family. And it’s true for governments.
“So today I am setting out some simple, affordable and practical measures which will help squeezed middle families in these tough times.
“This five point action plan, alongside our plan for growth and jobs, addresses the fundamentals of life: the cost of heating a home or getting to work, paying the grocery bill and ensuring your family is not ripped off.
“The Conservative Party will have you believe that it’s impossible to help the squeezed middle when times are tough. Our family budget action plan shows it’s possible to make a real difference for pensioners, for hard-working families, for young people, even when there is less money around.
“These are measures that do not require extra spending. But they do require a different set of priorities, different values, a government that is on your side, and sometimes the courage to take on powerful and well-financed organisations which will not like it.
“The Tories have abandoned any pretence they can govern for the whole country. They have abandoned Middle Britain. Labour has a duty and responsibility to show we can once more be the party of the squeezed middle.
“And that is why I am changing the Labour Party. So that we can once more say Labour is on your side -- that Labour is with you these tough times.”
“One week on from the Budget, one thing is clear: The Conservative Party has betrayed Middle Britain with cuts in child benefit, cut in tax credits and rises in VAT.
“The last week has shown this Government for what it is: one that works for the millionaires – but not for squeezed middle families who work so hard to make ends meet, not for pensioners who have worked hard all their lives and not for young people who can only dream of working at all.
“On Wednesday, George Osborne unveiled a Budget which forces millions to pay more so that millionaires can pay less. He didn’t listen to pensioners but they are now being hit by a new tax on their fixed incomes. He didn’t listen to families who have seen their living standards squeezed like never before while the cost of fuel, food, train tickets and electricity seems to be going up and up. But he is cutting working tax credits next month which will leave thousands of working people better off quitting their jobs. How can that be right?
“He didn’t listen to the squeezed middle.
“No. He listened instead to people earning a minimum of £150,000 a year who had lobbied furiously for a top rate tax cut . He listened and ensured that 14,000 millionaires will each get a hand-out of over £40,000 - while 4.5 million pensioners pay more.
“The Conservative Party is opening its doors to millionaires – and closing the door for squeezed middle families.
“David Cameron once promised to be a different kind of Tory. He said he cared about the NHS and about people struggling to get by. He said the Conservatives were no longer the party of the wealthy few.
“But he has betrayed that promise.
“Last Tuesday, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats used their votes in Parliament to ensure the Health and Social Care Bill passed its final hurdle. They didn’t listen to the doctors, the nurses, the midwives and the patients who warned them this would waste billions of pounds and do huge damage to our NHS.
“So, from the budget to the NHS, David Cameron’s Tory-led Government has revealed its true colours. He is desperately out of touch with the vast majority of people in this country. He has closed the door on the squeezed middle.
“David Cameron prefers to listen to those who have given millions of pounds to the Conservatives Party in exchange for donor dinners and special access in Downing Street.
“Since I became leader of the Labour Party, I’ve spent a lot of time listening. I’ve listened to businesses and I’ve listened to employees. I’ve listened to people in every region, old and young, rich and poor. In scores of these questions and answer sessions, I’ve heard people tell me that they felt Labour did lots of great things in government, re-building our schools and hospitals, cutting crime, and helping families.
“But I’ve also heard people say they felt we lost touch with them in government.
“And I know what you know: that we live in a time when there is less money around. That is true for you and your family. And it’s true for governments.
“So today I am setting out some simple, affordable and practical measures which will help squeezed middle families in these tough times.
“This five point action plan, alongside our plan for growth and jobs, addresses the fundamentals of life: the cost of heating a home or getting to work, paying the grocery bill and ensuring your family is not ripped off.
“The Conservative Party will have you believe that it’s impossible to help the squeezed middle when times are tough. Our family budget action plan shows it’s possible to make a real difference for pensioners, for hard-working families, for young people, even when there is less money around.
“These are measures that do not require extra spending. But they do require a different set of priorities, different values, a government that is on your side, and sometimes the courage to take on powerful and well-financed organisations which will not like it.
“The Tories have abandoned any pretence they can govern for the whole country. They have abandoned Middle Britain. Labour has a duty and responsibility to show we can once more be the party of the squeezed middle.
“And that is why I am changing the Labour Party. So that we can once more say Labour is on your side -- that Labour is with you these tough times.”
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