Osborne speech – Labour movement reactions

Angela Eagle, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury:

“This hotch-potch of small measures and re-announcements shows how out of touch Ministers still have no idea of the scale of the problem families and businesses are facing right now. Far from riding out the storm, George Osborne ripped out the foundations of the house as the storm was brewing by choking off the British recovery last autumn.”

“It’s time David Cameron and George Osborne woke up to the reality of what’s happening in our economy. The Tories need to realise that without urgent action to ensure strong growth and get more people in work, paying taxes rather than claiming benefits, they will find it harder and harder to get the deficit down.”

Len McCluskey, General Secretary, Unite:

“The Chancellor delivered a flat speech to match the flatlining economy that he is creating. George Osborne refuses to see or accept the massive economic damage his policies are creating for our country.”

“He is a Chancellor who wants to make it easier to hire and fire at will while making it harder for workers to challenge bad bosses. George Osborne then has the nerve to repeat the discredited claim that we are all in this together.”

“Almost 2.5 million people are unemployed. George Osborne has not created a single job. Now he is making things worse and trying to silence the very people who see through him and his government, workers and their unions.”

Chris Leslie, shadow Treasury minister on osborne’s council tax freeze:

“George Osborne is simply re-announcing a pledge first made in his conference speech three years ago and repeated in the Conservative manifesto and coalition agreement.

“This re-announced policy is too little too late. Out of touch Ministers don’t seem to understand that people are struggling with rising prices and energy bills now, but this policy means no help for another six months. And it would mean just £72 for a typical household, which is a fraction of the extra £450 a year the Tory VAT rise alone is costing a couple with children.

“If the Chancellor is serious about getting the stalled economy moving again he’ll need to do much better than this. He should adopt one or more of the measures in Labour’s five point plan to create jobs, help struggling families and support small businesses. When even Conservative backbenchers are now openly saying the government has no credible plan for growth, it’s time for Ministers to start listening.”

We’ll bring you more reaction to the chancellor’s speech as it comes in this afternoon.