Record borrowing must not be excuse for cutting public services

 

The Liberal Democrats have warned that the Chancellor must not use the excuse of higher debt to start cutting public services and called for a Green Recovery Plan. The intervention comes as ONS (Office for National Statistics) statistics published yesterday reveal Government borrowing has hit a record high. Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “In the face of a pandemic, it is no wonder that borrowing is so high. It is yet another reminder to Ministers that they must do all they can to limit the chaos of Brexit or risk peoples' livelihoods. “The Chancellor must now make clear that he will not use the excuse of higher debt to start cutting public services or reducing investment for our crumbling infrastructure – especially in the parts of the UK that need it most. “Liberal Democrats stand firm that we must grow our way out of this crisis with a Green Recovery Plan that will invest billions to transform our economy, fight climate change and create millions of good-quality jobs.”