Miliband defends Budget as ‘fair package’ of measures

ED MILIBAND defended the Budget as he visited Wales and denied the nation was being shortchanged. The energy and climate change secretary was speaking at Barry's Citizens Advice bureau the day after Rachel Reeves laid out her Budget plans to Parliament.

- BRYANA FRANCIS

He said Ms Reeves’ spending plans were “fair packages” and said the UK Government was investing in Wales, citing the planned new small nuclear power station on Anglesey as evidence of its commitment to make the nation a “powerhouse of clean energy”. He was speaking as the government faces criticism of the impact of tax changes in the budget on ordinary families after the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned the increase to living standards in coming years would be “truly dismal” and accused them of breaching their manifesto promise.

With Ms Reeves announcing a promise to cut energy bills by about £150 from April 2026, but taxes likely to rise for many ordinary people, Mr Miliband said the chancellor had delivered a “fair package” of measures.

He added: “The big difference is that the big changes to cut energy bills and to lift the two-child limit will come in the coming months.