PCS: This was a free-market budget beyond the scale of Thatcher
Responding to today’s (23 Mar) budget, Public and Commercial Services union general secretary Mark Serwotka said:
“This was not a pro-growth budget, it was a free-market budget beyond the scale of Thatcher. It failed then and it will fail now.
“George Osborne is unleashing a dangerous economic experiment on the people of this country * the low paid, the unemployed, pensioners, and our public servants.
“In fact, with a further cut in corporation tax, planning regulations relaxed, more profits for business and no guarantee on jobs or any pledge to reduce unemployment, this budget is the exact opposite of what is needed to get our economy back on track.
“Our economy is not growing and is not projected to. The government needs to urgently bring unemployment down to increase tax revenue and lower welfare payments.
“Osborne’s rhetoric on tax avoidance would be welcome if it represented any serious attempt to tackle the tax dodgers who deprive our public finances of tens of billions of pounds a year.
“The extra £1 billion a year clampdown on tax avoidance is hugely unambitious at a pitiful 0.8% of the total tax lost to our economy every year.
“Again, Osborne has represented the millionaires * on Saturday we’ll be representing the millions when we march for the alternative in London.”
ENDS
Notes
– For information and interview requests contact PCS national press officer Richard Simcox on 020 7801 2747 or 07833 978216
– The Public and Commercial Services union represents civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 300,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies, and in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK’s sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich – on Twitter @janicegodrich
– Follow PCS on Twitter @pcs_union
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