Fair or despair? Salopians' verdict on Rishi's budget
When a Chancellor holds up his red briefcase in the traditional Budget Day pose, many are just wondering by how much booze, cigarettes and petrol are going up by.
But Rishi Sunak’s announcement this week may have piqued the interest of more people than normal, given how the Covid-19 pandemic has ravaged finances and caused job losses.
In Wednesday’s Budget, the Chancellor announced a raft of coronavirus support measures and the continuation of several tax reductions.
He extended furlough until September and set out measures to protect business as the UK emerges from lockdown.
But he also announced major changes to tax – including a freeze on personal allowances. That means a million more people will start paying income tax.
Some see his decisions as fair, though he has been criticised for “hitting the poorest the hardest” in other quarters. We asked Salopians how they felt about the Budget.
Retired head teacher Andrea Jones, from Shrewsbury, believes we’ll be paying the price of the pandemic for decades to come.
The 72-year-old, who used to work at Shrewsbury Junior High School, said: “We all knew it was going to be pay up time, and it’ll go on for generations when I’ve long gone. It’s one of those things. No-one would have predicted it.”
Andrea feels Mr Sunak has been straight about the nation’s finances, and hopes to see more investment in technology for Shropshire’s schoolchildren.
“I think he has been pretty honest,” she added. “There’s no point in hiding anything. We’ve had this huge pandemic that nobody would have seen coming.
“I think I’d like to see more IT in schools. People’s houses are not all that well equipped. I think funding for state schools in Shropshire has always lagged behind other areas of the country.”
One aspect of the Budget was a tax increase on the profits of businesses pulling in more than £250,000 from 19 per cent to 25 per cent.
Retired painter and decorator Michael Dubell, from Sundorne, felt it was a good start, but wants to see more down to clamp down on multi-national heavyweights like Amazon to get them to pay their fair share of tax.
“These companies get away with not paying their tax when they earn billions and billions of pounds, but the government are quite happy taking money from us.”
Michael added that he doesn’t pay an awful lot of attention to the Budget because he feels it’s difficult for regular people to have any influence or sway on decisions. “I probably would have paid more attention to it when I was working but I don’t think it affects us too much now,” he said. “The government will do what they want anyway.”
His wife Patricia, a former shop worker, was pleased to see the 95 per cent mortgage scheme being brought in to help more people get on to the property ladder. “It could help.” she said. “We were quite lucky when we bought a house. I think our first one was about £13,000. Obviously wages weren’t as much as they are now but house prices have really gone up.”
Full-time carer Julie Chidlow, from Monkmoor, Shrewsbury, felt that the Chancellor could have included more help for people who look after others.
“I think the Budget was fair but he could have helped carers with more money,” she said. “We only get £260 a month in carers allowance and it doesn’t go very far. I think it’s missed every year, not just this year because of coronavirus. It’s always left out.
“Other than that I think it’s fair. He’s extended the furlough scheme.
“I think he’s more trustworthy than a lot of the politicians, and I think Boris Johnson has done the best he can.
“I’m not Conservative by a long way, but I think they’ve done everything in their power to help in this pandemic.”
