Chancellor's cutbacks point to straitened times ahead

Responding to the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s announcement of government cutbacks – including changing the eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment – to mitigate a £22billion financial blackhole, Liberal Democrat MP for Honiton & Sidmouth Richard Foord said:

“The changes announced today by the Chancellor make for pretty grim reading and rightly have left many people concerned about the future.

“Restricting the Winter Fuel Payment will have a big impact on pensioners across Devon, especially given we know that many people already miss out on Pension Credit.

“However, I am heartened to hear a clear commitment that projects which have already had funding committed, such as the re-opening of Cullompton railway station, will still go ahead.

“The re-opening is vital to improving local connectivity and helping ease congestion in, and around, the town – especially as it looks to expand in the coming years.

“The economic mismanagement of the Conservatives continues to have a lasting impact and we face straitened times, with the threat of more cutbacks in October’s budget.”