Chris Leslie MP, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, commenting on George Osborne’s speech in Washington, said:
“The last thing millions of people facing a cost-of-living crisis want to hear is an out of touch Chancellor trying to tell them everything is going well.
“In 2010 George Osborne promised sustained rises in living standards, a secured rather than choked off recovery and the books balanced by 2015. On every single pledge he has badly failed.
“Today’s figures from the ONS underline why, after three years of flatlining, this is no time for Tory complacency. Construction output fell by 2.8% in the last month and infrastructure output is now down 10.7% since May 2010. We also know working people are on average £1600 a year worse off since the last election.
“Labour’s plan will boost living standards for all, not just a few and secure a strong and balanced recovery. We will freeze energy prices, devolve economic power, get 200,000 homes built a year, cut business rates and expand free childcare to make work pay.”
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