MP Ranil Jayawardena has welcomed the tax cuts announced in last month’s budget.

He reckons the cuts in income tax will leave 50,894 people in north east Hampshire with more of the money they earn in their pocket. And an estimated 1,929 low earners will now avoid having to pay income tax altogether.

From this month the personal allowance – the threshold at which we start paying tax – goes up to £11,000. In his budget Chancellor George Osborne announced a further rise to £11,500 from April 2017. The Conservatives say that will mean a typical basic rate taxpayer will be paying over £1,000 less income tax than when they came to office six years ago.

George Osborne also announced that the threshold for the higher rate of income tax. From this April the threshold will stand at £43,000. Next April it is set to rise to £45,000, which works out as a tax cut of over £400 for higher earners.

The Treasury calculates this will lift over half a million people across the country on middle incomes out of the higher tax band.

Mr Jayawardena said : “It’s great that we have the second lowest unemployment in the country. Conservatives believe in lower taxes, and this Government is delivering for local families. We promised to cut the 40 pence rate and today we began delivering on this commitment.”

The local MP also welcomed the news from the budget that special attention is being paid to the difficulties of the next generation.

The MP stressed that the tax cuts, the freezing of fuel duty, academisation of schools and introduction of a new lifetime ISA will all help young adults save money. He sees the measures as significant steps towards ensuring a prosperous future.

“We are helping young people save through the new lifetime ISA, delivering a new children’s hospital in Southampton, helping people across Hampshire, and improving schools so all children get the best start in life.

“This Budget chooses to put forward long term solutions to long term problems. It puts the next generation first and redoubles our efforts to make Britain and North East Hampshire fit for the future.”

The budget was greeted with less enthusiasm by other parties however. Keith Taylor, the Green Party MEP for the South East, dismissed the Chancellor’s talk of putting the next generation first as ‘nothing short of hot air’.

Mr Taylor, who sits on the Environment and Transport committees in European Parliament, explained: “Once again the Chancellor is taking the country down a dangerous path by ignoring the threat of climate change.

“By buckling to his backbenchers on fuel duty the Chancellor has also missed the opportunity presented by low fuel prices to raise money to cut fares on public transport and invest in local alternatives to driving.

“If our Government was serious about securing a decent society for our children and grandchildren then it would be pulling out all the stops to support British firms and business in the renewable energy sector and to keep fossil fuels in the ground.”