Tories ship leaflet boasting about financial system rising on day recession introduced
A Tory election leaflet boasting in regards to the financial system rising has been put by letterboxes on the identical day it was revealed Britain slipped right into a recession.
Campaigning flyers for Justice Secretary Alex Chalk which declare the financial system is “GROWING” have been delivered to his constituents in Cheltenham regardless of official knowledge this morning estimating GDP fell by 0.3% on the finish of 2023. The Tory Minister has a razer skinny majority of 981 in his constituency. A mega-poll seen by the Mirror final evening predicted him on the right track to be defeated by the Liberal Democrats in a common election.
The leaflet, which labels Mr Chalk on the entrance as a “local MP” as a substitute of “Conservative MP”, brags about “how Rishi Sunak’s plan is strengthening our economy” and says there’s “good news for our economy”. It tells constituents to “take a look at the facts: we’re making progress and strengthening our economy”, with a gushing paragraph saying: “Economy GROWING. Official GDP data shows that the UK economy has grown more than Germany, France and Italy when recovering from the pandemic. That means more jobs, more investment and a better standard of living.”
Lib Dem Treasury spokeswoman Sarah Olney stated: “Surely Alex Chalk and other Conservative MPs claiming this garbage must now correct the record. This is hugely embarrassing for a senior Cabinet Minister to claim on the day the UK economy went into recession, after years of Conservative chaos. Conservative MPs are trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes. Alex Chalk’s constituents will see right through this nonsense.”
But the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday estimated that GDP – a key measure of financial exercise – fell by 0.3% within the final three months of 2023, following a decline of 0.1% within the earlier three months. It signifies that the financial system entered a technical recession, as outlined by two or extra quarters in a row of falling GDP, for the primary time for the reason that first half of 2020 amid the havoc of the preliminary Covid-19 lockdown.
Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey stated: “Rishi’s recession has savaged the British economy by decimating growth and leaving families to cope with spiralling prices. Years of Conservative chaos and a revolving door of Conservative Chancellors has culminated in economic turmoil.
“It’s hardworking Brits compelled to select up the tab for this mess, by excessive meals costs, tax hikes and skyrocketing mortgage payments. This yr the nation could have the prospect to kick out this incompetent and out of contact authorities as soon as and for all.” The recession announcement comes simply three weeks earlier than Chancellor Jeremy Hunt delivers his Budget.
Mr Chalk’s campaigning leaflet also boasts about the Government’s plan to double free childcare to 30 hours a week. Yet as recently as February 4 the Education Secretary refused to guarantee the childcare pledge will be met on time as she was “not in charge of all of the bits”.
Nurseries, pre-schools and childminders in England are being inundated with calls and emails from families who want to take up funded places. But staff shortages and a lack of availability means parents are being put on long wait lists and might miss out on their most well-liked nursery or childminder.
Asked in regards to the leaflets, Mr Chalk responded: “The GDP figures for last year, which were released this morning, are a reminder that while inflation has more than halved, wages are rising, mortgage rates are falling and taxes are being cut, we are not out of the woods yet. As the Chancellor has said, high inflation is the biggest barrier to growth which is why we need to stick to our plan because what is clear is that Labour don’t have one and will take us back to square one.”
