Martyn Jones

Labour Party | Clwyd South

Martyn Jones MP welcomes Labour's Budget for pensioners in Clywd South

MARTYN JONES MP welcomed the Budget unveiled today by Chancellor Gordon Brown as "good news for children, families and pensioners here in Clwyd South."

Martyn Jones MP was commenting after listening to the Chancellor deliver the Budget which gave pensioners aged 70 and over £100 to help with their council tax bills.

Martyn Jones said,

"Today's Budget  delivered a boost for pensioners in Clwyd South. Gordon Brown announced today that pensioners aged 70 or over are set to receive an extra £100 to help with their council tax bills. Together with the Winter Fuel Payment pensioners aged 70 or over will receive £300 and those aged 80 or over will receive a total of £400 this year.

"The Budget also confirmed that the National Minimum Wage is set to rise to £4.85 this October and that for the first time ever 16 and 17 year olds will be entitled to a National Minimum Wage of £3.00 from this October as well.

"We can only go ahead with these decisions because we have managed to avoid the global recession that has affected every other major economy. For the first time, because of the Labour Government's tough decisions to bear down on inflation and get the public finances on a proper footing, the UK weathered the global economic storm and continued to grow.

"Today inflation is at its lowest for thirty years, mortgage rates are their lowest for thirty years and new figures today show that employment has increased by 1.8 million with unemployment falling by 42 per cent in Clwyd South since 1997.

"What a contrast with the Tory years when interest rates soared to 15 per cent and there were three million unemployed. The Tories are committed to cutting £18 billion from public services - that would mean cutting £27 million here in Clwyd South.

"The Chancellor outlined today how Labour is making the necessary investment in schools, skills, training and enterprise to ensure our continued economic success and to lock in economic stability for a generation. By cutting out waste and bureaucracy the Chancellor also confirmed he will release additional resources for local services.

"This Budget shows we are delivering on the promises I made to people here in Clwyd South. More jobs and improved skills, better schools and hospitals, more help for families and more help for pensioners - that's what local people voted for, and that's what we are delivering."