British people will not recognise Chancellor’s living standards claims, says TUC

18 March 2015

Responding to today’s (Wednesday) Budget Statement, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: 

“The Chancellor’s Britain, where happy people skip to their secure jobs to celebrate their rising living standards, is not one that many will recognise.

“But it’s what he did not say that is most significant.

“He did not spell out where, if re-elected, he will make the huge spending cuts he plans for the next parliament, nor did he tell Britain’s low paid workers which of their benefits he will cut.

“Nor did he address the big problems faced by those not living in the Chancellor’s Promised Land – the chronic shortage of housing, an NHS in crisis and the huge growth of zero-hours and other insecure jobs.

“For all the warm words, austerity is set to continue year after year.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- A recent TUC blog explained the reality of falling living standards for working-age people in the current parliament
- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews