"It's an anti jobs budget" - Cllr Tilsley reacts to the chancellor's statement

“It’s an anti-jobs budget” said Councillor and political grandee Paul Tilsley, as he analysed the impact of a budget that left Birmingham out in the cold:  

“Employers National Insurance has increased to 15%, and will be paid from £5,000 salary point onwards, instead of over £9,100 as is currently the case. 

“Yes, the Chancellor promised to not increase taxes for workers, but in increasing taxes so significantly for employers, she is putting jobs and salary increases at risk.”

“Suggesting that this improves growth is smoke and mirrors” he added “If you are running a small business and you are faced with these costs you will either reduce the annual increase you were planning to pay, or you will reduce jobs to make ends meet.” 

“No return to austerity was her theme throughout - but put in brackets - except for Birmingham, because we now have a Labour government, a Labour Mayor and a Labour Council, and nothing was done today to help broken Brum. 

“This Labour council is tied to a 2-year balanced budget by this Labour Government. Today, there was an opportunity to relax that, and it wasn’t taken.” 

“If you have a mortgage and can’t meet monthly repayments, you go along to your bank or building society and extend the term of the mortgage to reduce monthly payments. That is exactly what Birmingham needs right now. 

“It is impossible to balance the budget within 2 years without devastating cuts. Labour have failed to address this issue, so next year will more than likely see another budget that doesn’t balance.  Labour is saddled with this problem, but they are ignoring it.

“What they have done is put more power into the hands of commissioners. We have seen that power exercised over last few days where call ins for adult centres have been rejected not by council and its own democratic processes, but by commissioners. Democracy lo longer has a say in Birmingham. The democratic will in Birmingham is being usurped by commissioners.”