23 Sep 2022
Addressing the House of Commons, Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng used the 2022 Mini Budget to announce a series of measures designed to boost UK economic growth and support businesses and households with the rising cost of living.
Responding to the Mini Budget speech, Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves criticised the government's failure to publish an economic forecast alongside the Budget. She said: 'It is unprecedented to have a fiscal statement of this scale with no independent forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
'Economic institutions matter, yet this government has undermined the Bank of England, sacked the respected permanent secretary at the treasury and silenced the OBR.'
Meanwhile, Adrian Ramsay, Co-Leader of the Green Party, condemned the Chancellor for creating a 'cash bonanza for bankers'. He said: 'The Chancellor has shown his priorities – a cash bonanza for bankers, polluters and the wealthy, leaving millions to face rising prices, soaring rents and cuts to services.'
In response to the Mini Budget, Caroline Lucas, former Leader of the Green Party, stated: 'This isn't a budget to tackle the cost-of-living scandal, the energy bills crisis or the climate emergency – it's a Budget of free cash giveaways to rich fat cats and city bankers, and crumbs on the table for everyone else.'