Zöe Franklin calls on local MP Angela Richardson, to vote down “shambolic” budget

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Guildford and Cranleigh, Zöe Franklin has called on Angela Richardson MP to oppose Kwasi Kwarteng's "shambolic" budget.

The call comes as the pound plummets to a record low against the dollar, which risks leading to rising food and petrol prices and spiking mortgage interest rates.

The Liberal Democrats are demanding Parliament be recalled this week so that urgent action can be taken to address the unfolding disaster. They're also calling for a tougher windfall tax on oil and gas giants to help people and businesses with their bills, and new investment in local health services.

Zöe Franklin said:

"The Chancellor's out of touch and shambolic budget has been exposed as a reckless gamble. The Conservatives are giving huge unfunded tax cuts to the banks while neglecting local health services and hammering ordinary people with years of tax hikes.

"Ordinary people across Guildford and Cranleigh that I've spoken to are really concerned about being landed with higher bills, higher taxes and higher mortgage payments thanks to the government's incompetence.

"Angela Richardson should listen to the concerns from our community and put her residents' needs first by voting down this shambolic budget and backing Liberal Democrat calls to support local people and businesses instead."

Further Information

Research by the Liberal Democrats has shown that the average family will pay £290 more in tax next year as a result of the freezing of income tax thresholds, despite the 1p cut to the basic rate announced last week. See Telegraph here

The pound has fallen in value against every other currency in the world and earlier hit an all-time low against the dollar.

Liberal Democrats are calling for:

• An expanded windfall tax on oil and gas giants
• The scrapping of the planned cut to corporation tax
• The scrapping of the planned lift on bankers' bonus caps
• Guarantee support for businesses with energy costs for one year, not just six months, to provide greater certainty
• freeze domestic energy prices at what they are now, instead of hiking them again next month
• Invest in a winter rescue plan for the NHS to recruit more doctors, dentists and paramedics.