Chancellor living on another planet – MP slams Autumn statement for neglecting health services

Commenting on today’s Autumn Statement, Cumbrian MP Tim Farron said: “Local people are waiting months for a hospital operation, cancer treatment or mental health care.

“They are struggling to get an appointment with their GP and are being advised to travel to Hexham or Blackburn to register with a dentist on the NHS.

“So I am absolutely appalled that the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement today fails to bring forward any serious measures to fix the crisis in the health service.

“This is the number one issue our county and our country is facing this winter, and the Chancellor has simply ignored it. He must be living on another planet.

“Meanwhile there is nothing serious in here to help my constituents afford a roof over their head or to stop the scandal of sewage being dumped in our lakes and rivers.

“Instead we have short-term tax cuts from a Government that is begging for votes ahead of next year’s General Election. Yet any benefit these cuts might provide to households will be all but wiped out by the Government’s stealth tax as they sneakily fail to raise the tax thresholds.”