DUDLEY’S new Labour MP Sonia Kumar has welcomed measures in the Budget which she says “turns the page on 14 years of Conservative chaos”.

The proposed Black Country Metro extension was given a shout out in Parliament in yesterday's Budget speech by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in which she pledged funds to extend the Metro from Dudley to Brierley Hill, alongside a raft of expected tax hikes set to come into effect in April 2025.

Labour’s Sonia Kumar has given her thoughts on her party’s first Budget since 2010, which included pledges to fix the NHS and reform public services, a freeze on alcohol and fuel duties, alongside an increase in the Living Wage to £12.21 per hour for over 21s (£10 for 18 to 20-year-olds), a state pension rise of 4.1 per cent and a 1.2 per cent increase in NI contributions paid by employers.

Sonia said: “On Wednesday, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivered this Labour government’s first budget, to fix the foundations of the economy and deliver the change that people across Dudley voted for in July.

“Rachel Reeves has committed to ensuring there are no changes to working people’s payslips as income tax, employee national insurance and VAT stay the same. Her budget will provide a boost to investment across rail, schools and hospitals whilst keeping debt on a downward path.

“The Chancellor set out the tough decisions she has had to make to restore economic stability, on spending and welfare by cracking down on fraud, tax avoidance and waste, and making sure every penny of taxpayer money is spent wisely.

“As well as getting our economy back on track, Labour's budget delivers for local people in Dudley.

“Local concerns about the NHS, the cost of living and bus routes will be addressed in Dudley as the West Midlands is expected to receive funding from central government. With the rise in minimum wage, 9,600 employees living in Dudley borough can expect at least £12.12 per hour starting in April 2025. Rachel Reeves also acknowledges the West Midlands as the industrial heartland, shining a worthy spotlight on this region.

“Labour's first Budget turns the page on the last 14 years of Conservative chaos, where working people in Dudley had to pick up the bill whilst their services crumbled. The Tories crashed the economy, sent mortgage rates soaring, wasted billions of pounds of taxpayers' money, and left a £22 billion black hole in the nation's finances.

“The Chancellor made clear the different choices this Labour Government is making to fix the mess the Conservatives left. This Budget will protect the pay slips of working people, fix the NHS, and invest in Britain's future to rebuild the country’s schools, hospitals, and broken roads.”

Sonia, who worked as a physiotherapist in the NHS at Dudley’s Guest Outpatient Centre prior to becoming an MP, added: “This budget delivers the stability we need to grow our economy, protect working people, and invest in our future.

"I am absolutely determined to deliver for Dudley and am delighted that the Chancellor has come through for us, with a Labour Budget that will fix the NHS, repair local roads, and rebuild Britain.”