Defending the indefensible

An open letter to Robert Buckland: Just a couple of days after a full throated defence of your "mini" budget on Sky News, the Prime Minister has left you high and dry with two u-turns - scrapping the scrapping of the higher rate of income tax and bringing forward the OBR report/assessment/criticism of this economically illiterate "mini" budget.

Not only was this policy callous when there is a cost of living crisis, it does nothing to grow the economy (as claimed). In fact none of this budget will grow the economy.

The help on fuel bills will stop some families starving and/or freezing but it is paid for in borrowing.

This will mean higher taxes in the future and/or massive and unsustainable cuts to services already struggling to cope. Growth comes from investment, not making rich people wealthier.

I am dumbfounded that your government keeps making this absurd claim. Please stop. If you want to steal the wealth of the country just be honest and say so.

Why was an assessment not done before announcing with fanfare this economically illiterate "mini" budget? That is the usual and rather sensible approach for significant fiduciary policy announcements.

Well, it had been prior to Brexit going through on the nod in Parliament because fools like Davis claimed you had discussed it enough.

Not only was that a lie but it demonstrated then that this Tory Brexit govt did not want to be held accountable for anything they inflicted upon us.

This act alone was responsible for the market reaction we got. They need to know what the costs and implications will be of significant policies.

Although the markets have recovered some of the lack of trust, they still have to see (and believe) the report, which is yet to come.

You sounded ridiculous defending (yet again) the indefensible.

Martin Wiltshire

Old Town

What mandate?

South Swindon MP Robert Buckland claims that Liz Truss has been given a mandate to govern the country (Swindon's MPs not keen on early election, SA, October 5).

Liz Truss as we all know was given this 'mandate' by 81,000 Tory Party members who elected her as leader, hardly a democratic mandate is it Mr Buckland?

With bitter infighting, ministers and backbenchers all apparently lining up to attack and condemn her policies, with chaos and confusion engulfing this government, it's time a general election was called so that the 43 million registered UK voters were given the opportunity to vote for a new government, therefore electing in a democratically elected PM with a mandate that was voted for by the electorate,

How much longer do we have to put up with this useless, clueless, dangerous government?

Martin Webb

Old Town

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