AS heir apparent to the Osborne baronetcy and descendent of Henry III, it’s no surprise George lacks all understanding of the lives of working people, or that he blames the crisis in Greece on the people rather than the crushing counterproductive austerity imposed by EU bureaucrats.

It’s no surprise that his budget greatly favours the upper crust at the expense of the working class.

What was astonishing was that George had the cheek to call his scheme a plan for working people.

Chief among his 'gifts' is what he calls, a 'National Living Wage'. While we are delighted to see that – at least on the surface – George has adopted this long-standing Green Party policy, dig down a bit and you soon see the 'con'.

First, loudly proclaim an intention to reward people in work by raising the minimum wage up to a living wage.

Second, phase in the wage increases much more slowly than benefits are phased out. Third, make sure the benefit cuts far outweigh the wage gains. Fourth, claim to be 'balancing the books' while cutting even more taxes for those at the top.

Everyone agrees people are better off when they can provide for themselves through hard work at real living wages. If this was really George’s goal, however, the obvious thing would be to phase out benefits at the same speed wage rises are phased in, and make sure that pay increases equal or exceed the value of the benefits lost.

Unfortunately, his real goal seems to be to impose on the UK the same sort of austerity that is strangling Greece.

Why? Because it’s the perfect way to take money and power away from the middle and working classes, and concentrate it at the top.

David Parr

St Helens Green Party Work and Welfare Spokesman