CHANCELLOR Jeremy Hunt’s Budget was “really desperate” and extra funding for the NHS will only reverse previous cuts, according to the Treasury spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats.

Sarah Olney told GB News: “I thought that was a really desperate Budget. There’ll be thousands, millions probably, of people up and down the country who are hoping to hear something that’s really going to make a substantial difference to the situations that they’re facing at the moment.

“They really want to hear more about investment in the NHS. They want to hear more about what the Government plans to do to help everyone. But, do you know that only actually reverses their planned cuts to the NHS, in actual fact, there’s no extra spending at all?

“I know from speaking to voters in my own constituency and other constituencies across the country, what people are really, really worried about right now is that they can’t see their GP, they can’t register with a dentist. And we know from recent reports, how far behind we are on things like cancer care, which is a real worry for people.”

On the cut in National Insurance, she told GB News’ Political Editor Christopher Hope: “Don’t forget once you’ve factored in the planned tax rises that will still be taking place. It’s not a tax cut. It’s really a small reduction in the amount of increased taxes that most people will be paying.

“It doesn’t really touch the sides when you think about the increases in people’s mortgages, in their rent, in their fuel bills, in their weekly shop. It’s going to make very little difference to most families.”

She added: “Up and down the country, you see voters everywhere, they just want a General Election now. They are sick of this Government, they want a fresh start.

“I just don’t think that there’s going to be much the Government can really do, certainly not with this Budget, to really change people’s minds.”