Finance (No. 2) Bill

Sureena Brackenridge Excerpts

Tuesday 16th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Sureena Brackenridge (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab)]

For my constituents, the Finance Bill is more than just a legislative process; it is a statement of who we are as a country and what we believe our future to be. I can say with confidence that this is a Finance Bill for places such as Wolverhampton and Willenhall.

I came into politics after years in the classroom. I know the harm that poverty does to our children. I have seen too many young people believe that a successful career is for someone else and not for them, and not addressing poverty ends up costing society far more in the long run. We inherited a country where we have a rise in food banks—more food banks than branches of McDonald’s. There is no single silver bullet to end poverty, and some of the Bill’s measures might not ever make the headlines, but they show the different choices that a Labour Government will make for our communities.

I support the Finance Bill to enable us to lift the two-child benefit cap. Independent analysis estimates that it will lift around 450,000 children out of poverty by the end of this Parliament. The inaccurate attacks from some quarters, painting families in poverty with a broad brush, are disappointing but not surprising. In Wolverhampton North East, I inherited more than a third of children in poverty after housing costs—higher than the UK average. Lifting the two-child cap will benefit more than 4,200 children in Wolverhampton North East. That is the equivalent of 20 primary schools packed full of children. How could I not support that measure? And for those who are still clinging to lazy stereotypes, did you know that 60% of families in poverty are working families? The rest may be families who have lost a parent or where a parent has lost a job, fallen ill or become disabled. So this, along with the expansion of free breakfast clubs for all families and free school meals for children from families on universal credit, ensures that no child is too hungry to learn. Labour values and choices are clear: children need to come first.

I welcome the Chancellor’s response to calls from MPs like me and others to reintroduce libraries in our secondary schools, with an additional £5 million in funding on top of the £10 million for primary schools. I want all children to benefit from social mobility-boosting libraries and reducing inequalities that saw libraries removed disproportionately from poorer areas. This is a Finance Bill that shows that our children matter.

The Bill goes further. It strengthens the dignity of work. The national living wage will rise to £12.71 per hour from April 2026, putting more money directly into people’s pockets. That money is more likely to be spent in our local shops, precincts and high streets. Targeted cost of living measures continue to make a difference: prescription charges frozen, energy bills likely to fall by around £150, train fares frozen for the first time in 30 years, and continued support to ease everyday financial pressures. Alongside no cuts in capital projects, sustained investment in public services, infrastructure and skills, the Bill is set for stronger long-term growth: a long-term plan with undeniable benefits for Wolverhampton and Willenhall and across the UK.

[Several hon. Members rose—]