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date: 12 March 2008

embargo: immediate

Budget - resilient economy but not enough for children

Commenting on the Budget today (Wednesday), TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'Britain's economy is better placed than many to escape the worst effects of the world-wide economic slowdown. The Government deserves praise for its continuing stewardship of the economy.

'But while there was limited scope today for major changes, the Chancellor should have done more to tackle child poverty. While there are welcome measures today, the Chancellor has not done enough to meet the target of halving child poverty by 2010, but neither has he made it impossible.

'But to do so will require much more bravery in making the super-rich pay their fair share of tax. While the Chancellor has stuck to his non-dom guns, he was wrong to rule out further changes when the threatened talent exodus fails to materialise. The richest non-doms will hardly be troubled by this £30,000 poll tax.

'Nor has he signalled any new efforts to end the loopholes that big companies and the super-rich use to avoid paying proper taxes. And the energy companies will be breathing sighs of relief that they have got away so lightly with the modest requirement to help the fuel poor.

'It is disappointing that the Chancellor did not announce a fresh start for the public sector today. The Government's ideological preference for moving public sector work to the private sector continues, and public servants will continue to suffer falling living standards.

'So a sensible Budget for the overall economy, but something of a missed opportunity to make real progress to a fairer society.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk

Press release (400 words) issued 12 Mar 2008