An Oldham MP has criticised the autumn statement as a "total letdown" and has said she is worried that people could die.
Debbie Abrahams made the comments after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt set out tighter welfare rules in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Oldham’s other MPs, Jim McMahon and Angela Rayner, also criticised the statement, with both saying that people were worse off because of the Conservatives.
The statement also saw state pension increases, with Mr Hunt saying the statement had "110 different measures to help grow the British economy".
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Debbie Abrahams
Debbie Abrahams MP said: “This autumn statement is a total letdown for people struggling across Oldham and Saddleworth.
“It goes nowhere near enough in providing the funds that Oldham and Saddleworth have lost since 2010, including to our NHS.
“While I am pleased that, following my letter to the Chancellor along with four former DWP Secretaries of State, social security payments will be updated in line with the September inflation figure, this is the bare minimum, and I will continue to keep the pressure on for a system that is genuinely adequate.
“I fear the measures in the autumn statement will mean more people will die as a result of some of these measures.
“The deaths of nearly 200 claimants in the last three years are being investigated by DWP but we know this is the tip of the iceberg. I fear more people will die as a result of punitive policies like these.”
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Angela Rayner
Angela Rayner, MP for the Ashton-under-Lyne constituency, which includes Failsworth, was also critical of the changes.
The MP, who is also the Labour party deputy leader, said: “After 13 years of the Conservatives, working people are worse off. Prices are still rising, energy bills are up and mortgage payments are soaring.
“With 25 tax rises since 2019, the Tories are the party of high tax and low growth. Labour is now the party of fiscal responsibility, the party of business and the only party with a plan to make working people better off.”
Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon, Labour and Co-operative MP for Oldham West and Royton, said: “Thirteen years of economic failure has left the people of Oldham worse off and paying the price of Tory mismanagement with 25 Tory tax rises since 2019 and households paying £4,000 more in tax each year than they did in 2010.
“It is simply not good enough to announce change with no insight or direction into how it can make the lives of working people better.
“Despite any haphazard fiscal announcements in the Autumn Statement, people’s mortgages, energy bills, and food prices are still sky-high.
“Only a Labour government will make working people better off as a priority by boosting wages, cutting people’s bills and getting the economy growing again.”
If you have a story, I cover the whole borough of Oldham. Please email me at jack.fifield@newsquest.co.uk.
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