Families in the North East will be worse off because of Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget, Labour MP Bridget Phillipson said today.

Bridget said: “George Osborne delivered a budget for growth and jobs that downgrades growth and will increase unemployment. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility have forecast Tory plans will see 130,000 more people out of work by 2012.

“In cutting the deficit too hard and too fast the Government are set to repeat the mistakes of the 1980s that caused lasting damage. Already, the Tories are hitting hard working families in the North East, increasing unemployment and damaging living standards.

“With families paying an average of £450 extra in VAT this year, it’s clear the Tories don’t understand how hard they are hitting ordinary people in the North East.”