Message from Ben Bradshaw MP...

This winter, like the economic depression, seems to be going on and on.

The coldest March for decades was an appropriate backdrop to George Osborne's latest gloom-laden budget. True, there was some minor relief for hard-pressed motorists and beer drinkers (though not if your tipple is Devon cider or Plymouth Gin) but the rest of it was a miserable affair as the Chancellor was forced to cut his growth and raise his borrowing forecasts yet again.

The economy has now grown just 0.7% since 2010 compared with the 5.3% forecast at the time. Only two other G20 countries have grown more slowly. The lack of growth has meant £200 billion extra borrowing. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility says reducing the deficit has "stalled" and that there was nothing in the Budget that will stimulate growth.

Meanwhile, inflation remains stubbornly above the Bank of England's target and real wages have fallen every year since the change of Government in 2010. People are already really hurting and the tax and benefits changes that start on April will only add to their pain, unless, of course, you are a millionaire who will benefit from the cut in the top rate of tax.

Realistically, this was Osborne's last chance before the expected 2015 election to acknowledge his economic policy has been a disaster and change course. He didn't take it. So, barring some even greater calamity that forces his hand, we're stuck with "stagflation" until the election. 

Given this dire situation, the Labour Party should be miles ahead in the polls. Having been proved right in their criticism of Osborne's economic policy the two Eds (Balls and Miliband) need to spell out what we would be doing differently now and after 2015. We need a few clear policies that are easy to understand and simple to communicate that make clear the difference between a Labour approach and that of the coalition. Only by doing that can we rebuild trust and credibility on the economy and put the country back on the right track after the election. 

I've been inundated, as have most MPs, by letters, calls and emails from constituents worried about the new bedroom tax and cuts to council tax benefit that come in on 1 April. Although the bedroom tax - the extra people in social housing will have to pay if they're deemed to have more bedrooms than they need - has received more publicity, the cuts in council tax relief will affect many more people.

Exeter City Council estimates that 760 households will be hit by the bedroom tax while 5, 839 people in Exeter who receive council tax benefit will be hit by the cut to council tax relief. One of those wrote to me last week in complete despair. She is a lady in her 50s who cares full time for her 90 year old mother and has a teenage son. She's been told she'll have to pay £200 extra a year, money she simply can't afford. If you are in a similar position or know someone else who is there may be help available depending on your particular circumstances. The city council and Citizens Advice have a special helpline to deal with such queries and can be contacted on 01392 265440 and 08444 111 444 respectively.

The recent resignation of a leading Conservative councillor in East Devon after he was filmed promising planning consent in return for cash has helped to highlight the huge threat facing Exeter from a combination of the Government's new planning policies and the incompetence of the local authorities that surround us.

Exeter already faces significant new housing on the edge of the city in East Devon and Teignbridge council areas. Under the Government's new policies local councils are supposed to have a development plan in place by the end of this month spelling out where they propose to site new housing. If they don't, they will have no power to stop planning consent. Unlike Exeter, neither East Devon or Teignbridge have their plans in place. That means that through no fault of our own Exeter could face a planning free-for-all on our borders with huge and inappropriate housing developments because of the indolence and incompetence of the surrounding  councils. This would be an outrage and something I and the city council will fight tooth and nail.