Last week, the Chancellor revealed the second half of his plan to keep the economy on track at the Spring Budget. In his announcement, we saw another cut to National Insurance Contributions – worth a total of £20 billion combined with the measures set out in the Autumn Statement in November. This cut is worth over £900 a year for someone on the average full-time salary and was also complimented by a change to way Child Benefit is withdrawn. This will save some families an average of £1,260.
In addition to freezes in alcohol and fuel duty, the Chancellor announced an increase of the amount of money small businesses can make before they pay VAT – something which I publicly welcomed as a strong supporter of our local high streets.
I’ve been honest with people who reached out to me before the budget was revealed. The last few years have not been easy for the British economy, dealing with the legacy of Covid and war in Ukraine. As a former businessman who made the transition to politics, I felt it was right to support the Government’s responsible approach to the economy which is now paying off. Inflation has fallen from 11% to 4% and the economy is performing better than forecast – providing the backdrop for more spending on public services and tax cuts.
I was delighted to hear this weekend from Katy Bourne that Sussex Police have shifted more of its resources to rural policing in our community. Their latest campaign has delivered an increased presence on rural roads, carrying out more vehicle stops, and an initiative to reduce livestock worrying which I know is serious concern for our South Downs farmers at the time of year when lambs and calves are born. I know how isolated many can feel in the most rural parts of our area and it is good news that this is being directly addressed by the police in the prioritisation of rural crime.
