AFTER this week’s budget news, where Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has clearly tilted the 'levelling up' plans to help areas like Buckinghamshire, Canary Wharf, and Cambridge, it makes you think about what it means for York.

The clear lack of big investment for us brings up a big question: have the Tories already given up on York Outer, or is it that Julian Sturdy lacks the influence within the Treasury to secure what I'd term 'levelling up bribes' for York?

This shift in focus away from truly addressing regional inequalities, as highlighted by critics and the evident prioritisation of key battleground constituencies, makes us question (rhetorically), if they're really all in for improving every region.

Clearly, Jeremy Hunt is trying to bribe the electorate through tax cuts, which can only mean more pain for public services that are already on their knees.

People won’t be richer, healthier or happier because of this budget. People know a con when they see one.

Lars Kramm,

Parliamentary Spokesperson,

York Green Party,

Manor Heath,

York

... AFTER watching the Chancellor produce his budget which was very lacklustre it showed that given time we can turn the economy round.

He gave a little but also took a little.

In reply to the speech Sir Keir was very poor in his reply and stated that the Government was bankrupting the country.

He maybe thinks that position can only be given to the Labour Party as every Labour Government has left office with this very dubious honour.

He was very perturbed about the non-dom tax as this was the only policy they had.

All in all, very poor all round.

TJ Ryder,

Acomb,

York

...OUR Chancellor's budget gave no relief to that what matters: NHS recovery from extinction if not addressed.

Someone close to me confided that after waiting four hours for a doctor's telephone appointment, when it came it was from an exhausted doctor whose five minute diagnosis was: at your age it's merely wear and tear!

We have now robotic 111 fill-in form questionnaires without any interaction with patients.

What next?

I once lived in a far away utopian world long ago where a mere phone call received an instant response and lead to a non-stressed caring doctor. He or she talked to you, one to one. What happened to that past over-the-rainbow world?

We need a budget relevant to what is required today.

Phil Shepherdson,

Woodthorpe,

York

...CHANCELLOR Hunt in his budget statement claimed the UK has the strongest economy in Europe.

At PM's questions Sunak's response to any criticism of public services is to quote the billions of pounds the treasury has provided.

Why is it then despite this vast investment the general public are not witnessing any discernible improvements?

Peter Rickaby,

West Park,

Selby,

North Yorkshire

... HOW will the budget affect me? We're just prawn/pawns in a bigger game; retired and bottom of the food chain, with everyone simply pooing on us.

D M Deamer,

Penleys Grove Street,

Monkgate

York