Contribution
The Budget introduced by the Government on Wednesday last week was billed as delivering “Breathing space for today” and “fresh hope” for tomorrow. Those are indeed noble sentiments from a Chancellor and Government determined to make things better for working people, even in these most difficult of times.
War rages in the middle east and Ukraine, and none of us knows when the conflicts will end, or the scale of their impact on our country and economy. What the people of Watford know is that the cost of living crisis is still very real. Certainly, when I talk to residents in my constituency, I hear that the cost of day-to-day living is a tough challenge for many. Since the 2024 Labour landslide, Chancellors have tried to make things better for people, fixing the foundations of our economy and delivering growth in the toughest of times. I warmly welcome the Chancellor’s Budget; my right hon. Friend has managed to deliver something for most people, and for that, I and my fellow residents will be grateful.
Britain has had the joint-highest growth in the G7 this year. That is brilliant news, but what matters to the great British public is feeling the effects of that growth in their pockets. To that end, the announcements from last week show that Watford wins with Labour. The £100 energy bill relief for those in council tax bands A to D will help my fellow residents; it is a real cash injection to help with energy bills, and 37,140 households in Watford will benefit from it. Further, the extension of the zero VAT rating on electricity bills through to the summer of next year will help people through the cold winter and spring months, which is welcome indeed. The Chancellor’s plan to abolish the standing charge on gas bills will deliver further financial help, as will the continued freeze on fuel duty. Watford residents are car users, so that will help them, just as the £2 cap on bus fares in January will help those who rely on public transport. Meanwhile, the first rail fare freeze in 30 years is already delivering for those on the train network.
Businesses on the high street will welcome the small business rates relief threshold for retail, hospitality and leisure. That will help around half of those in the sector in our region of the country. Those who do not benefit from the exemption will see a real-terms freeze in business rates for ’27-28 and ’28-29, which is welcome, especially as things remain tight. In Watford, that will help 662 businesses and a further 373 in Hertsmere, which is where the Bushey part of my constituency is. The measures will bring vibrancy back to the high street.
Under the new devolution arrangements, Hertfordshire, the county that my constituency is in, will become a mayoral strategic authority, and that will help unlock further the potential of the town and the county to deliver a brighter future, with more jobs and opportunities. Housing remains a challenge across the country, but in Watford, the cost of housing can be prohibitive; people who grew up in the area are sometimes forced out by high prices. That is why I welcome the Your First Home initiative. The help for first time buyers will really help people to make a home in Watford.
After being elected to this place, I became involved in the campaign for better paternity rights organised by the Dad Shift, and I was particularly pleased to see the hard-working campaign achieve a victory, when the Chancellor granted paternity pay to self-employed dads. That is definitely another move that will help families welcoming a new member—of a very different variety—in Watford. Turning to the other end of the age spectrum, I welcome the end of the cliff edge for those delivering care. I have also full-throatedly supported the Government’s ambition to halve violence against women and girls, and I welcome the measures designed to help in that respect. In conclusion, this Budget was designed to provide breathing space for today and fresh hope for tomorrow. It delivers that for Watford and the wider community, and I wholeheartedly support it.