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'Unfair' Budget is facing legal threat: Equalities watchdog could challenge Osborne
By Daniel Martin
Last updated at 10:21 AM on 26th August 2010 George Osborne has been accused of not investigating the impact of his Budget on vulnerable groups
The Coalition is facing legal action against its Budget from an equality watchdog after analysts found it hammered the poor.
The Equalities and Human Rights Commission said it was considering whether to take the Treasury to court.
The quango said it feared Chancellor George Osborne had not investigated the impact of his Budget on vulnerable groups – such as women, the elderly, the disabled and ethnic minorities – as legally required.
The Treasury is also facing legal action from women’s rights group the Fawcett Society, which says ministers took no account of the Budget's effect on women.
It comes a day after the Institute for Fiscal Studies, a highly respected think-tank, said Mr Osborne’s financial changes were ‘clearly regressive’, hitting the poor and families with children hardest.
This contradicts official claims from the Chancellor and his Lib Dem allies that the budget was ‘fair’ and ‘progressive’.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, facing an increasing clamour from his Lib Dem backbenchers, was forced to defend the Budget.
‘This IFS analysis is by definition partial,’ he said. ‘It does not include the things we want to do to get people off benefits and into work.’
Mr Clegg, whose personal and party poll ratings have fallen through the floor in recent weeks, said the Government’s plans also included a pupil premium to improve the education opportunities for poorer children and further changes to the tax system.
But Mike Hancock, Lib Dem MP for Portsmouth South, said: ‘We didn’t sign up for a Coalition that was going to hurt the poorest people in society, and I certainly didn’t get elected to do that ever.’
'Vulnerable': Women, elderly, disabled and ethnic minorities were not properly considered, says The Equalities and Human Rights Commission
He said that unless Mr Clegg came up with a good answer to the IFS report, there would be a ‘very sticky’ upcoming Lib Dem party conference and serious thinking by members generally’.
Yesterday the Equalities and Human Rights Commission said one option being considered was applying for a judicial review into the Budget, while another was sending in a hit squad to work with Treasury civil servants on equality issues.
Neil Kinghan, the quango’s chief executive, said equalities legislation was ‘not designed to prevent reductions in public expenditure’, adding: ‘Its role, and the commission’s role, is to ensure fairness is at the heart of decisions.’
He said the commission had asked the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, for assurances, but had received no response.
Asked on the BBC’s Today show if an equality impact assessment had been carried out, Treasury minister Mark Hoban declined to comment.
Labour leadership contender David Miliband said: ‘This report reveals George Osborne’s Budget was soft on the banks, hard on the poor.’
Shadow Chancellor Alistair Darling said: ‘Nick Clegg is talking nonsense. He might think he can take his party for fools, but the British public can see all too clearly that there’s nothing fair about this Coalition
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-watchdog.html
By Daniel Martin
Last updated at 10:21 AM on 26th August 2010 George Osborne has been accused of not investigating the impact of his Budget on vulnerable groups
The Coalition is facing legal action against its Budget from an equality watchdog after analysts found it hammered the poor.
The Equalities and Human Rights Commission said it was considering whether to take the Treasury to court.
The quango said it feared Chancellor George Osborne had not investigated the impact of his Budget on vulnerable groups – such as women, the elderly, the disabled and ethnic minorities – as legally required.
The Treasury is also facing legal action from women’s rights group the Fawcett Society, which says ministers took no account of the Budget's effect on women.
It comes a day after the Institute for Fiscal Studies, a highly respected think-tank, said Mr Osborne’s financial changes were ‘clearly regressive’, hitting the poor and families with children hardest.
This contradicts official claims from the Chancellor and his Lib Dem allies that the budget was ‘fair’ and ‘progressive’.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, facing an increasing clamour from his Lib Dem backbenchers, was forced to defend the Budget.
‘This IFS analysis is by definition partial,’ he said. ‘It does not include the things we want to do to get people off benefits and into work.’
Mr Clegg, whose personal and party poll ratings have fallen through the floor in recent weeks, said the Government’s plans also included a pupil premium to improve the education opportunities for poorer children and further changes to the tax system.
But Mike Hancock, Lib Dem MP for Portsmouth South, said: ‘We didn’t sign up for a Coalition that was going to hurt the poorest people in society, and I certainly didn’t get elected to do that ever.’
'Vulnerable': Women, elderly, disabled and ethnic minorities were not properly considered, says The Equalities and Human Rights CommissionHe said that unless Mr Clegg came up with a good answer to the IFS report, there would be a ‘very sticky’ upcoming Lib Dem party conference and serious thinking by members generally’.
Yesterday the Equalities and Human Rights Commission said one option being considered was applying for a judicial review into the Budget, while another was sending in a hit squad to work with Treasury civil servants on equality issues.
Neil Kinghan, the quango’s chief executive, said equalities legislation was ‘not designed to prevent reductions in public expenditure’, adding: ‘Its role, and the commission’s role, is to ensure fairness is at the heart of decisions.’
He said the commission had asked the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, for assurances, but had received no response.
Asked on the BBC’s Today show if an equality impact assessment had been carried out, Treasury minister Mark Hoban declined to comment.
Labour leadership contender David Miliband said: ‘This report reveals George Osborne’s Budget was soft on the banks, hard on the poor.’
Shadow Chancellor Alistair Darling said: ‘Nick Clegg is talking nonsense. He might think he can take his party for fools, but the British public can see all too clearly that there’s nothing fair about this Coalition
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-watchdog.html
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