Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale: THIS had been billed as a Budget that would be upbeat, but what we got instead was an insight into the devastating impact that a chaotic Tory Brexit will have on families across the UK.
Under the Tories, living standards are being squeezed, debt is on the rise and public services are being cut.
The Chancellor could have brought an end to seven years of damaging Tory austerity, but instead he doubled down by imposing cuts to public services and welfare.
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Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central: THE Budget was a real missed opportunity for Phillip Hammond and Theresa May to do the honourable thing and scrap the UK Government’s pernicious two-child policy and medieval rape clause.
I cannot begin to describe the sheer desolation I felt when I looked at the UK Government’s Red Book – on International Women’s Day of all days – and saw that this callous Chancellor still intends to make women prove they were raped in order to receive tax credits.”
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Patrick Harvie, Scottish Greens Co-Convenor: THE £350 million in capital funds coming to the Scottish Government is a drop in the ocean after years of cuts, but it’s vital that Scottish ministers use this cash to invest in the kind of physical and social infrastructure we really need. We could go further than the Living Wage for social care staff to recognise their vital role; we could invest in energy efficient housing to cut fuel poverty; and we could create local energy companies to harness the benefits of renewables for the public.
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Scottish Conservative shadow finance secretary Murdo Fraser: THE Chancellor has struck the right balance – keeping money in reserve as we prepare to leave the EU – but at the same time handing a boost to the economy. For Scotland, his plans will deliver an extra £350 million for the SNP Government to spend as it wishes over the coming years. The SNP’s double dose of local government cuts and income tax changes to penalise middle-earners is now utterly without justification.
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Charles Ireland, Managing Director, Diageo Great Britain: THE tax blow dealt by the Chancellor to the Scotch whisky industry is bad for the economy, bad for business and bad for the British public. It is staggering that the Prime Minister stood up in Scotland only on Friday and said that Scotch whisky is “a truly great Scottish and British industry … and directly supports tens of thousands of jobs” – and then just five days later, Philip Hammond hammers this same industry at home.
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Ewan Gurr, Scotland Network Manager, The Trussell Trust: THERE was almost no mention of Brexit, which the OECD projects will lead to further rises in food prices. If that is the case, this is only likely to increase the pressure on low-income households and those already experiencing food poverty. Despite further investment in childcare, there still appears to be a fine line between families between families just about managing and no longer coping. It appears working in a food bank is one area where employment is secure.
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Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie: THE Chancellor presented a Budget that showed the true cost of Brexit, with his £60 billion war chest.
This is the emerging price of the Conservatives’ hard Brexit. The additional funds for Scotland mean the SNP have no more excuses. They can now invest in mental health and education as we recommended for the Scottish Budget only a few weeks ago. By investing in people we will boost our economy. Let’s hope the Scottish Government don’t let this opportunity pass by again.”
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Labour PARTY leader Jeremy Corbyn: THIS Budget lacks ambition for this country and fairness.
It demonstrates again this Government’s appalling priorities: another year of tax breaks for the few and public service cuts for the many.
When the Prime Minister took office, she said: “If you’re one of those families, if you’re just managing, I want to address you directly.” This Budget did not address them; it failed them. It’s built on unfairness and it’s built on failure to tackle unfairness in our society.
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Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond: A WELL-functioning market economy is the best way to deliver prosperity and security to working families and the litany of failed attempts at state control of industry by Labour leaves no one in any doubt about that.
Except, apparently, the Right Honourable Gentleman opposite [Jeremy Corbyn], who is now so far down a black hole that even Stephen Hawking has disowned him.
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Scottish Council for Development & Industry Director of Policy & Place, Claire Mack: WHILE, overall, a safety first approach is understandable in the context of Brexit and the extra funding for UK innovation was positive, the Chancellor missed some opportunities to improve Scotland’s competitiveness as the UK embarks on the process of leaving the EU.
SCDI hopes that making progress in these areas is now given a high priority as the industrial strategy is developed.
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