"People in St Albans deserve better" was the verdict from St Albans MP Daisy Cooper on the UK Government's Autumn Statement.

A statement from the Liberal Democrat politician also criticised the Conservatives' "deafening silence on the NHS".

Daisy Cooper MP said: "The Conservative's deafening silence on the NHS was staggering. Across the country and here in St Albans too many people are in pain, stuck on waiting lists that are preventing them from working and impacting their quality of life, yet on this, the Conservative government had nothing to say and nothing to offer.

"Investing in the NHS and reducing treatment backlogs should have been a priority in this Autumn Statement. Without a significant boost to health services, our economy will continue to flatline.

"The fact there was barely a mention is a damning indictment of how little the Conservatives care about people's health or our stagnant economy.

"Apart from ignoring the crisis in our health service, the Chancellor proposed tax changes that will not 'touch the sides' after years of unfair tax hikes.

"The country is crying out for change, yet today's statement showed once again that this Conservative government is out of touch and out of ideas.

"It doesn't need to be like this - people in St Albans deserve better."

Herts Advertiser: James Spencer, Conservative candidate for St Albans.James Spencer, Conservative candidate for St Albans. (Image: Courtesy of James Spencer)

Meanwhile, the Conservative candidate for St Albans, James Spencer, has defended the Autumn Statement.

He replied: "The Conservatives are cutting taxes for 29 million people across the country.

"This means hard-working families in St Albans with two earners on an average income, will be £900 a year better off.

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"It is also great to see the chancellor boosting the National Living Wage to a record £11.44 an hour. This is a 9.8% increase benefiting 2.7 million workers.

"I was also extremely pleased to see Jeremy Hunt support local businesses in St Albans by cutting business taxes by £11 billion.

"All we need now, is for the Lib Dem City and District Council to show the same support to local businesses by reducing car parking charges, investing properly in our historic Charter Market, and bringing city centre footfall back to pre-pandemic levels."