The general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, Steve Wright, has warned Chancellor Rachel Reeves not to repeat the mistakes of George Osborne and other Tory chancellors.
As the Chancellor prepares to deliver her spring statement, Wright called on the government to introduce a wealth tax to fund pay for workers after 15 years of cuts under the Tories. “Workers struggling to afford the basics will not accept falling living standards from Labour,” he said.
Research shows that a wealth tax of 2% on assets over £10m would raise £24bn a year.
Steve Wright, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said:
"The spring statement is an opportunity for Labour to deliver on the needs of working people, who suffered 15 years of falling pay under the Tories.
"Under George Osborne and his successors, austerity budgets led to attacks on wages, pensions and public services.
"It would be wrong and misguided for Rachel Reeves to adopt the same approach. Workers struggling to afford the basics will not accept falling living standards from Labour.
"Labour must make funding available for substantial pay increases in the fire service and across the public sector.
"There must be no cuts in the Chancellor's the Spring Statement.
"Instead, Rachel Reeves must introduce a wealth tax to fund public services and deliver a decent pay rise for workers."
ENDS
