Hertford and Stortford Tories’ chair says Budget’s broken promises ‘only highlight why we must rebuild’

Hertford and Stortford Conservatives have held up their hands and accepted a share of the blame for Labour’s “tax-raising, growth-crushing” Budget.

The constituency association’s new chair, Sawbridgeworth town councillor Nathan Parsad-Wyatt, commented after Chancellor Rachel Reeves revealed the new Labour Government’s first Autumn Statement.

Tory Julie Marson’s loss of the Hertford and Stortford seat to Labour’s Josh Dean was part of a landslide defeat for his party.

Cllr Parsad-Wyatt told the Indie: “Let’s be honest – we’re here today because we, as Conservatives, fell short.”

But he was unimpressed by Labour’s fiscal strategy: “The budget is a huge setback for hardworking people in our community.

“Whether you take the bus or train, run a small business like a shop or salon, or work in a trade, Labour’s taxes are reaching into your pocket.

“This budget is a tax-raising, growth-crushing move that piles on debt, leaving our economy weaker and public services at risk.

“Labour’s election promises of restraint have crumbled and this Budget reveals the truth: they’ve raised taxes on nearly everything.

“They say there’ll be no taxes on working people, but who do they think will bear the cost?

“From hikes in National Insurance, capital gains and car tax to VAT on school fees, this is a budget that punishes hard work and aspiration.

“In a particularly cruel move, Labour has scrapped universal winter fuel payments, leaving some of our most vulnerable pensioners – those on as little as £13,000 per year – out in the cold.

“Even the Chancellor herself admits that this tax hike will stifle wage growth. The real cost? Lower growth, fewer opportunities and a legacy of debt for future generations.”

Cllr Parsad-Wyatt concluded: “Let’s be honest – we’re here today because we, as Conservatives, fell short. We lost your trust, and that’s on us.

“But Labour’s broken promises only highlight why we must rebuild: to bring back a party that stands for hard work, economic growth and real opportunity.

“We’re committed to learning from our mistakes, earning back your trust and putting our community’s priorities first.”