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23 June 2010 Emergency Budget 2010: the political reaction

Following the Chancellor's Emergency Budget speech, the opposition has voiced its opinions on the measures announced.

Responding to the programme of spending cuts and tax rises announced by George Osborne, Labour leader Harriet Harman described the changes as 'reckless', labelling the forthcoming rise in VAT to 20% as 'unfair' and warning that thousands of people would face unemployment as a result of the Chancellor's tough Budget measures.

Arguing that the Budget was driven by ideology rather than economics, she commented, 'It is the Chancellor's first Budget but we have seen it all before. It is the same old Tories, hitting hardest at those who can least afford it and breaking their promises'.

The Labour leader also criticised the Liberal Democrats for agreeing to the Budget measures.

'The Lib Dems denounced early cuts, now they are backing them; they denounced VAT increases now they are voting for them. How could they support everything they fought against?' she commented.