On Thursday, 27th March, the day after Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Emergency Budget, Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch travelled to the Westcountry and took the time to speak with Ivybridge constituents about their concerns.
The Leader of the Opposition was hosted by South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith ahead of Devon’s local elections at Ivybridge Constitutional Club, taking questions from local constituents before going door-to-door. It was instantly recognised that locals are anxious about the Labour Chancellor’s failure to get a grip on the economy after her disastrous tax-hiking policies. On 31st March it was revealed that Labour’s £25bn National Insurance tax raid on employers will make families £3,500 worse off by the next election.
Rebecca Smith MP, Member of Parliament for South West Devon, stated:
I am delighted that Kemi chose to visit South West Devon the day after Labour’s Emergency Budget.
I went into politics to serve our special corner of Devon which I call home and to ensure that our collective voice is finally heard in Westminster. I was all too keen to get Kemi down to listen to the concerns of my constituents firsthand.
By choosing to visit Ivybridge today, Kemi has shown that the Conservatives have listening ears and are determined to rebuild a credible alternative locally and nationally to this job-killing Labour Government.
Rebecca Smith MP has been a vocal critic of the Rachel Reeves’ decision to hike Employers’ National Insurance, a clear break of the 2024 Labour Manifesto which pledged it would not increase NI. Ms Smith has spoken in Parliament several times about the disastrous impact the so-called Jobs Tax will have on South West Devon's local services and economy and, as recently as Tuesday 25th March, she voted to protect hospices, GPs, dentists and small businesses.
A series of essential household bills also spiked at the start of the month. This latest cost-of-living squeeze is being dubbed ‘Awful April’. New analysis by the Conservatives has revealed:
- Family bills will rise by £1,191 per year from April. This includes: energy bills rising by £111; council tax rising by £109; water bills rising by £123; car tax rising by £5; TV licenses rising by £5; phone bills rising by £46; and broadband costs rising by £36.
- Working families will be £3,536 worse off because of Labour’s Jobs Tax. The rise in National Insurance will devastate people’s pay packets and push up costs.
