Dr Neil Hudson took to the floor of the House of Commons in a Budget speech to warn the Chancellor against her "short-termist, anti-aspirational and promise-breaking Budget".
From non-committal defence spending in an increasingly uncertain world and letting pensioners go cold over winter to putting pressure on the school systems with an education tax and not committing to Conservative capital build projects like schools, hospitals and roads, Dr Hudson urged the Chancellor to take a different path.
Speaking afterwards, Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
"This short-termist, anti-aspirational and promise-breaking Labour Budget has fallen short in meeting the everyday needs of millions of hardworking folk across the country. We will now have spiralling taxes that do nothing to deliver the growth we vitally need.
"Don't just take my word for it, take a look at the Office for Budget Responsibility's own figures which point to reduced private investment, stagnating growth after 2 years and lower trade activity.
"But behind the figures and the stats are real people. Real people like the pensioner who can't afford heating, the farmer who has to sell their farm to pay their tax bill, people having to pay more for their bus fares, or school children impacted by a punitive VAT policy.”
Dr Hudson began by warning against Labour's top-down proposals to rip up national Green Belt protection which will threaten local access to nature in Epping Forest that does so much for residents' mental and physical health, and pride of place. This has been a key theme of Dr Hudson's campaigning since he was first elected as MP for Epping Forest.
Another vital issue for local people is that of Labour's Spending Review which is putting crucial capital building projects on ice - meaning that the hospital rebuilds of Whipps Cross in Leytonstone and the Princess Alexandra in Harlow, promised by the previous Conservative Government are currently mothballed. Dr Hudson has consistently urged the new Labour Government to make good on their investment commitments and make sure his constituents are resourced with the best available healthcare infrastructure.
Dr Hudson's speech also encompassed the plight of pensioners who are being deprived their Winter Fuel Allowance. Dr Hudson said: "That is just immoral" and would compromise pensioners' dignity in retirement. Read more about Dr Hudson's campaigning on the matter here.
And from those oldest in society to those youngest, Dr Hudson was keen to reinforce the very real impact Labour's education tax will have not just on independent schools now forced to pay VAT but the state sector where local Epping Forest schools at capacity may struggle with a tranche of students no longer able to afford independent fees post-Budget. Dr Hudson argued this stress will be felt acutely by parents of SEND pupils who rely on the bespoke support provided by the independent sector. Dr Hudson has spoken in Parliament in full on this issue previously.
On top of this, Dr Hudson warned against raising bus prices by 50%, defence spending flatlining and employer VAT contribution increases which will directly impact the job market across the country.
Moreover, as a Veterinary Surgeon, Dr Hudson was especially keen to express his concern over the UK's biosecurity and food security. With African Swine Fever advancing across the continent, and Avian Influenza and Bluetongue Virus hitting farms in the UK, Dr Hudson said an animal disease outbreak "could wreak on our economy, our farmers, our food industry and rural mental health if we are not firing on all cylinders against these threats." He urged Ministers to protect against this with a full redevelopment of the Animal and Plant Health Agency's headquarters in Weybridge which urgently requires more than one billion pounds of Government investment. This issue is very close to Dr Hudson's heart following his experiences as a Veterinary Inspector in the frontline of the Foot and Mouth Crisis in 2001. You can read more about his biosecurity concerns here.
A biosecurity incident would have greatest impact on our agri-food sector which ensures the nation is well-provided with nutritious and affordable food. Hitting consumers at the checkout would be a callous move amid cost of living concerns, and yet this is exactly the impact the Budget may have given that farmers are now being taxed huge levels of inheritance tax which will only serve to lose agriculturally-productive land and add stress to an already stressed sector.
You can read Dr Hudson's full contribution to the debate in Hansard from 2:20pm here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-10-31/debates/363730DD-7437-4627-95B7-40169A3B7D9B/IncomeTax(Charge)#contribution-DB390111-34F4-4A78-8E9E-467AF5ACBA53
You can also watch the full speech from 2:20pm, here: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/c77195e3-3497-4ff4-98d1-ed4eabd2b507
