She said:

“I will be voting against the deeply regressive Finance Bill today because it continues the Government’s cruel and counterproductive austerity agenda, which is both socially destructive and economically illiterate.

“Despite the Government’s rhetoric the IFS analysis makes it perfectly clear that the biggest losers from this bill are those in the second and third poorest tenths of the population. It’s simply untrue for ministers to say that that this year’s budget is progressive.”

Caroline also slammed the Government for favouring the ‘profits of polluters’ over ‘people’s right to live in a safe and habitable climate’:

“The detail of the Finance Bill also flies in the face of the Government’s own rhetoric about the threat of climate change to our economy, society, security and wellbeing. It proposes, for example, to tax renewable energy as if it were a fossil fuel – by removing the climate change levy exemption for renewables.

“This comes alongside the announcement in the Budget to scrap the long-established zero carbon homes policy-meaning that future homes, offices, schools and factories will be more costly to run, locking residents and building users into higher energy bills.

“It’s fossil fuel subsides that should be cut – not support for clean, green, home-grown renewable energy or targets for warmer homes. It’s deeply disappointing to see this Government continue to prioritise the profits of polluters over people’s right to live in a safe and habitable climate.”

ENDS