FOR the 25,000 pensioners in West Worcestershire, I object strongly to the government’s decision to take away the Winter Fuel Payment from constituents on incomes as low as £13,000.

Only this week I asked the Chancellor to rethink this shameful proposal which will mean that some people will have to choose whether or not to put their heating on this winter.

Sadly, the chancellor ignored my representations and instead set out a budget of broken promises within a range of proposals designed to make people worse off.

Measures which see higher costs for businesses to fund public sector, union-mandated pay rises without productivity deals.

Her plans give us German tax levels with French labour laws — a recipe for higher unemployment.

During the election campaign the chancellor promised she would focus on growth.

Well if more taxes, more public spending and more borrowing were the answer to growth, Venezuela would be a successful economy.

What she was planning all along, together with her cabinet colleagues who have no experience of working in the wealth-creating, job-creating, tax-paying private sector, is a budget of the public sector by the public sector for the public sector.

The chancellor thinks that by waving a magic wand she will deliver growth.

The Office for Budget Responsibility has revised growth down.

I am saddened to tell her that the only way you get growth is through the productivity and investment of the private sector.

Anyone who’s ever worked in business knows that.

Investment into the business is linked to profits — profits that will now fall.

Her budget of broken promises will mean higher bills for employers and business confidence has been falling month by month.

This was not the budget that was promised in the general election campaign and it’s not the change the country needs or wants.