Reform UK's Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick has condemned Andy Burnham's first Budget as a "nothing-burger", delivered in the middle of a national economic emergency. Writing in an opinion piece, Jenrick said the forecasts published alongside the Budget paint a dark picture of the years ahead, with living standards down, growth down, borrowing up, and prices set to rise higher than ever before.
Jenrick argued the country is not experiencing stagnation but going backwards, describing the situation as "barely managed decline" that is wrecking the lives of people struggling to pay their mortgages.
Economic forecasts under fire
According to Jenrick, inflation was supposed to be back at 2% by now but is instead heading for 4% in the new year. Growth next year has been cut to 1%, meaning no increase in real wages in 2027 or 2028. Family incomes are set to fall over this year and next, and by the end of the decade they will be barely 1% higher than before the pandemic.
Jenrick described this as "a lost decade of impoverishing decline for British families" and predicted this parliament will be the most tax-raising in history, beating the record of the last Conservative one.
Criticism of the Budget response
The Reform UK spokesman said the response to the emergency was "nothing" – a one-off £100 payment into some bank accounts, a few reliefs extended by a few months, and tax rises for later. He also criticised vague promises to spend more on defence with no plan to deliver it.
Jenrick said John Healey "might be a nice man" but has had 100 days to show he is up to the job, and after 100 days delivered a budget that will make British families poorer than they would otherwise have been.
Reform UK's alternative plan
Jenrick said Reform would give £1,300 back to the average household, paid for by £40 billion in cuts to benefits for migrants, foreign aid, and "mad net zero schemes". He added Reform would ensure the state pension is never taxed, and said if he did not deliver this, he would resign.
"Because if you can't make life better for the British people, what's the point of being chancellor?" Jenrick asked. "John Healey's had his go and failed. Isn't it time to try a party that will make things better instead?"
Jenrick concluded: "Britain is broke. But Britain isn't beaten. It just needs Reform."
