Responding to the Chancellor’s comments this morning, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “From the very beginning of the pandemic, Rishi Sunak has been slow to act and allowed millions of people to fall through the cracks. With tougher tiered restrictions on the cards as lockdown ends in December, many will now be worried that once again they will be left behind by this Government.

“Ultimately it is the Government’s failure to get a grip on the pandemic which has led to the lockdown measures, and the consequences of these failures will continue to devastate people’s finances well into the new year. The spending review next week gives the Chancellor the opportunity to fix the gaping holes in the Government’s support and he must take it.
“The Liberal Democrats not only want to see support rolled out for the millions of individuals excluded from Government support entirely, but support for the most vulnerable, such as children from low-income households, must be at the heart of the Government’s plan to help the economy recover.”