“This week’s budget proves that the Tories’ promise that austerity is over is a lie. Despite the headlines of a ‘giveaway budget’, the people of Rugby will continue to experience cuts to public services and deteriorating living standards for many years to come. If the Government fails to deliver a smooth Brexit (and the chances of that are slimmer by the day) all bets are off.

As usual, the burden falls hardest on our poor, sick and disabled neighbours. We’ve been the guinea pigs for the disastrous Universal Credit roll-out, so we know first-hand how people’s lives are devastated by it. Even Rugby’s Tory Council admitted that it is forcing people into homelessness while generating massive increases in rent arrears. The promised £1.7bn ‘fix’ is less than a third of social security cuts yet to come. Those relying on Rugby Foodbank in increasing numbers – well over 4000 parcels were handed out here last year, over 1500 to children – can’t be expected to tighten their belts any further.

And yet cuts continue to come.

The funding promised for the NHS, including for Mental Health, is ‘simply not enough’ according to the Health Foundation, so we can expect to see frontline services from St Cross Hospital and our GPs continue to diminish in favour of Coventry-centric policies.

Every day when I talk to Rugby people on their doorsteps, I hear horror stories about elderly people experiencing the indignity of cuts to care services they rely on for their independence. We know the number who are not getting the care they need is up by 20%, yet the Chancellor chooses to put a sticking plaster over this crisis with less than half what the King’s Fund says is needed to meet demand.

While Rugby experiences a crime wave, there’s not a penny in the budget for regular policing. Nor is there anything for day-to-day costs of our schools. These are things that matter to ordinary Rugby people but – once again – they are overlooked in favour of tax giveaways that favour the higher paid.

And don’t be fooled by showcase statements about taxing internet giants. This budget raises less from them than it does from the self-employed. The Tories are definitely not the friend of small business. UK business investment is the lowest in the G7 so it’s hardly surprising that Rugby’s entrepreneurs and business owners are struggling to keep up, while quality jobs are disappearing from our town.

The budget is a masterpiece of smoke and mirrors, promising much, but not yet and probably not ever. The Tories have missed every target they set themselves while handing out over £110billion in corporate tax giveaways by the end of this Parliament.

Choosing tax giveaways for the few over public services for the many is unjust, irresponsible and shows exactly where this Government’s priorities really lie, which is not with the ordinary people of Rugby.

Labour will end austerity, responsibly and fairly, and rebuild Britain for the many, not the few.

Our promises are clear and fully costed. We will properly fund our public services by ensuring the rich are taxed effectively and clamp down on tax dodging while protecting small and medium-sized businesses. Our intention to create 400,000 well paid green jobs is in contrast to the Chancellor’s failure to address climate change, even once, in his budget.

And we’ll stop the rollout of the cruel and costly Universal Credit regime that is causing untold misery for so many Rugby families.