Liberal Democrat leadership candidate Tim Farron MP has commented on today’s budget statement and pointed out that many of the changes that have been announced were stopped by the Liberal Democrats in the last Parliament.

Tim Farron said:

“For all its talk about striving, aspiration and creating a Northern Powerhouse, this budget has delivered none of it. It shows that the Conservatives, devoid of fresh ideas, have simply rehashed old ones that were rejected over the last few years.

“The Chancellor also said that the best route out of poverty may be work, but analysis clearly shows that over half of those in poverty are in work. We need to promote a living wage, help people into work and not just pull the rug on people who are trying to live. The politics of division gets us nowhere.

“That is not be said that there is not some kernels of good policies within the announcement – the best being the raising of the income tax threshold to £11,000 on its way to £12,500, something we as Liberal Democrats pushed and promoted over the last five years.”