Hunt's budget - a cursory glance

 Mr. Hunt, MP for West Surrey and now Chancoller of the Exchequer has released the budget for the fiscal year 2023/2024. The Chancoller has outlined the main goals for this budget. These include :

  1. Removing obstacles that stop business investing;

  2. Tackling labour shortages that stop recruitment

  3. Breaking down barriers that stop people working;

  4. Harnessing bristish ingenuity

These are of course noble, if expected goals that could have been written by most students let alone an experienced politician. However, it is important if we look at the items which will effect a large proportion of Cornwall’s population. 


The price of electricity has been one of the major issues that has risen to extreme heights. This has hurt the population, and caused struggle for many. For this reason, the Westminister government had been issuing a 400£ energy discount over the previous months. This was due to expire this month. It has however been extended with approximately £160 per household. In addition to this, those who use prepayment meters for their electricity will be cut by £45. Though these are not massive in terms of support for regular people, they are indeed something. Though there is potential that the 35% windfall tax being placed on energy companies may relive the bills in the future, that is for future speculation. 


Though Hunt and the Conservative party are celebrating that the economy is heading in the correct direction with inflation beginning to come under control, the Labour party headed by Kier Starmer has accused the government of only using “plaster” politics to encourage recovery of the economy, and disguising stagnation as progress. Though this is a understandable statement, many of these policies were first suggested by the labour party. This does bring to question whether if the parties control switched, whether we would be in the same stagnation, though may with a few months difference.

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