Caroline: small business announcement may be positive for Brighton, but Chancellor has done nothing to address fuel poverty

Ahead of today’s Autumn Statement, Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, wrote to the Treasury calling for rates relief for small businesses to be extended.  Commenting on the announcement of a discount on business rates, she said:

 “As well as forming a vital part of community life, small businesses provide valuable services and jobs. They’re particularly important to Brighton and Hove, which has the largest collection of independent retailers on the south coast.   It’s been a long time coming, but it’s great that the Chancellor at last appears to have listened to small businesses about the pressures they face.   I look forward to more detail, but this sounds like it could be a positive announcement.”

Commenting on other announcements in the Autumn statement, Lucas said:

“The Chancellor has done nothing to tackle the root causes of fuel poverty.   Instead of watering down energy companies’ obligations, he should have announced  a major programme to makeall homes super-energy efficient.   Such a programme, if funded through recycled carbon taxes, could bring an estimated nine out of ten homes out of fuel poverty, quadruple carbon savings, and create up to 200,000 jobs across the UK.  

“He has also delivered a lavish Christmas gift to fracking companies – giving them tax breaks to support an irresponsible and dangerous dash for gas that will undermine the urgent action we need to reduce our carbon emissions.  

“It’s ironic that a Chancellor who talks about going green is quite happy for the UK to continue to fund massive subsidies for both nuclear and fossil fuels. Taking real action to tackle climate change would create jobs,  transform the economy, and help us meet our duty to secure a safe and habitable climate for future generations.

 “The Autumn statement was yet another squandered opportunity to  take the action that we need that will genuinely move us to a low-carbon, affordable energy future.”