New Suffolk Conservative MP Patrick Spencer has said the new government's threats to increase taxes and cut benefits in October's budget will hit families just as the country starts to see economic growth.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned earlier this week of a "painful" budget and said the government would make "big asks" of the public.

He blamed this on a £22billion "black hole" in the public finances which he said was caused by the previous Conservative government.

But Mr Spencer, who was elected as MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich in July, said: "The people of Suffolk, like many across Britain, have endured a period of huge volatility.

"It started with pandemic and culminated with the recent cost of living crisis"

As well as national issues, in Suffolk local schools and police were under-funded compared to other counties, there is a dearth of local GPs and dentists due to poor NHS contracting, and the agricultural industry faces huge challenges.

He said: "Here in Suffolk we need a serious government that will put people first. And this is what the Prime Minister said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Image: Justin Tallis/PA Wire)

"However, in his first two months in charge he has caved into the unions, released dangerous prisoners from jail early, and stripped some pensioners of their winter fuel payment.

"He has threatened the country with higher taxes (which they promised wouldn't happen), laid the legislative foundations to nationalise our railways and set up a state energy company, threatened cutting funding for new hospitals, and reduced funding for infrastructure.

"He has even talked about repealing many of the reforms that made England's education system one of the highest performing in the world, and the envy of the UK.

"I know none of this is what people wanted when we spoke to them on the doorstep during the general election campaign.

"The Prime Minister won the election and has a huge majority to get things done. I hope the next four years are better for the people of Suffolk than the last two months have been."