Daventry MP Chris Heaton-Harris hails budget bringing 'much needed relief' – but council's Labour leader hits back 'our country is on its knees'

Daventry MP Chris Heaton-Harris copped both barrels from the leader of his local council's Labour group after tweeting about the Chancellor's autumn statement.

The Northern Ireland secretary said measures introduced by Jeremy Hunt would provide “much needed relief”. But West Northamptonshire councillor Wendy Randall, who represents Daventry West, labelled the Government "shameful" for presiding over 12 years of cuts and said Mr Heaton-Harris praise was “sickening”.

She hit back: “Your Government have been cutting funds since you came into power in 2010. Our country is on its knees. People can’t afford to eat or heat their homes. It’s shameful! Do us all a favour and call a general election. It sickens that you think your party have done a good job.”

Mr Hunt set out £55 billion of tax hikes and spending cuts in his highly-anticipated mini-budget. Confirming increased energy, council tax bills and unemployment, the Chancellor warned: “Anyone who says there are easy answers are not being straight with the British people.”

Household disposable income will drop by more than seven percent over the next two years, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility — the biggest fall since records began.

Mr Heaton-Harris tweeted: “The measures introduced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt underlines our strong commitment to provide much needed relief for ongoing cost of living pressures and high energy prices, which are affecting citizens across Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.

"This includes difficult but necessary decisions to restore confidence and economic stability, balance the books, and achieve long-term sustainable growth to deliver prosperity for Northern Ireland and the UK.”

The Chancellor confirmed pensions and benefits will rise by 10.1 percent in line with inflation and boosted the national living wage by 9.7 percent, announced increases in funding for schools, the NHS and social care, capped social rent rises and extended the Energy Price Guarantee.

But, in his Commons statement, he glossed over a change to council tax rules which will allow local authorites to hike council take bills by up to five percent instead of the current maximum three percent. The Treasury estimates that 95 percent of local authorities will hike rates by the maximum amount.

In a statement issued by the West Northamptonshire Labour group, Ms Randall said: “The autumn statement confirmed to the people of West Northants that what is holding this country back is the Conservative Party. We are seeing inflation spiralling, growth plunging and living standards falling.

“The mess that we find ourselves in as a country is not just from the last 12 weeks of Conservative chaos but the 12 years of Conservative economic failure – something that Northamptonshire residents know all too well.

“The Chancellor confirmed from the dispatch box that we are in a recession which will last over a year and see our residents’ incomes drop to the lowest level since 2014. It will see over 500,000 job losses, living standards fall by the largest amounts since records began and the highest tax burden in 70 years.”