Harrogate MP praises Autumn Statement while Lib Dem says Chancellor's measures 'won’t even touch the sides'

The headline measure in Mr Hunt’s tax and spending plans aimed at bringing positive news will see national insurance cut for more than 27 million people by 2 per cent in a move that will save people more than £450 a year.

The chancellor also announced a freeze in the way business rates are calculated for another year, maintaining a 75% discount on rates.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones hailed the package as “impressive”.

“This was an impressive autumn statement delivered by a Chancellor who understands his brief,” he said.

"Mr Hunt announced a series of measures which will benefit businesses here in Harrogate and Knaresborough and boost the pay packets of tens of thousands locally.

“The cut to national insurance contributions and the increase to the national living wage will put more cash in the pockets of the least well-paid.

"This is very important in an area like ours that depends on the often less well-paid hospitality sector.

“The hospitality industry will be further supported with a freeze in alcohol duty and by the changes to business rates and hospitality and leisure relief.

"These budget initiatives will underpin our local high employment rates, mean higher wages and more profitable businesses.”

The Harrogate MP also praised Jeremy Hunt’s decision to boost pensions by 8.5 per cent and increase benefit payments for those on Universal Credit by an average of £470 a year.

But Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said the limited giveaways of the Autumn Statement were wholly inadequate.

“After years of tax hikes on hard-working families, this is a bit of a deception from Jeremy Hunt,” said Mr Gordon.

"Even after changes to National Insurance, someone on a typical salary will be paying an extra £400 in tax next year.

"A middle-income earner will pay a whopping £1,200 more in tax.

"Today’s changes won’t even touch the sides after years of tax hikes and mortgages spiralling.

"As for hard-pressed businesses, these measures won’t make amends for years of economic chaos and growth flatlining.

"The Conservatives have broken their promise on reforming business rates, botched overseas trade deals and left hospitality businesses unable to find any staff."

At Westminster, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves slammed the Conservatives' "appalling record" on the economy, claiming the Tories had "held back growth, crashed our economy, increased debt, trashed our public services, left businesses out in the cold, and made life harder for working people".

The Autumn Statement was accompanied by a sharp downgrading by the Office for Budget Responsibility of the UK’s prospects for economic growth for 2024 and 2025.

There could be further tough times for public spending, too, with the chancellor announcing “modest figures” for departmental spending at a time when inflation remains above the Government’s 2% target.

And Harrogate Lib Dem Tom Gordon said the Autumn Statement failed to address the elephant in the room.

"You can’t fix the economy without fixing the NHS,” he said.

"We need the millions on NHS waiting lists treated and back to work - but we heard nothing about the NHS.”