TAUNTON'S Conservative MP Rebecca Pow says she is passing on constituents' concerns about rising bills as local LibDems call on her to oppose the Government's "shambolic" mini budget.

Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, LibDem leader of Somerset West and Taunton Council, is urging Ms Pow to oppose Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's tax cuts aimed at rebooting the UK's economy and people's finances.

The call follows the Government's intervention which resulted in sterling plummeting to a record low against the dollar, leading to rising food and petrol prices and spiking mortgage interest rates.

The LibDems are demanding Parliament be recalled so that urgent action can be taken to address the "unfolding disaster".

They are also calling for a tougher windfall tax on oil and gas giants to help people and businesses with their bills, as well as a Winter NHS Rescue Plan.

Among Mr Kwarteng's announcements were the basic rate of income tax would drop from 20per cent to 19per cent a year earlier than planned, while the higher 45p rate for people earning more than £150,000 will be scrapped; a cap on bankers' bonuses is being abolished; a planned increase in corporation tax will not go ahead; stamp duty will be charged on homes sold for £250,000 or more, double the previous limit. The changes will be financed by borrowing billions of pounds.

Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts said: “The Chancellor’s out-of-touch and shambolic budget has failed to provide solutions to the problems many of us are facing.

"Our local health services have been neglected to line the pockets of City bankers at a time when people in the Somerset West and Taunton area are worried about getting through the winter.

"People I’ve spoken to in our area feel abandoned by the Government and left with still-unmanageable bills to pay.

"Our research has shown that the average family will pay almost £300 more in tax next year, despite the 1p cut to the basic rate.

"Rebecca Pow should listen to the concerns from our community, vote down this shambolic budget and back LibDem calls to support local homes and businesses instead.”

Ms Pow said: "I fully understand constituents’ anxieties regarding rising bills and have been engaging regularly to feed in these concerns in Westminster over the last months and will of course continue to do so.

"Recognising the record high energy prices over the past year, the government is introducing the Energy Profits Levy, a new 25 per cent surcharge on the extraordinary profits the oil and gas sector is making.

"It is an additional tax on top of the existing 40 per cent headline rate of tax they pay, taking the combined rate of tax on profits to 65 per cent.

"This will raise around £5billion over the next year which will go towards supporting people with the new cost of living measures announced by the Chancellor.

"In addition to the Energy Price Guarantee, which will save the average household £1,000 and cap energy costs to businesses, the Chancellor also recently announced new measures to reduce taxes on households and businesses with a view to boosting economic growth.

"There’s a focus on a range of infrastructure projects across the UK and I’m pleased to say this includes the A358 from Taunton to Southfields which I have long campaigned for.

"Furthermore, the previously proposed National insurance rise will now be reversed from November 6, resulting in 28million households getting a tax cut worth an average of £330 per year.

"Income tax is being cut to 19 per cent, which will on average benefit 31million people by £170 per year.

"Corporation Tax will be held at 19 per cent instead of rising to 25 per cent and stamp duty is also being reformed with the standard buyer in England saving around £2,500.

"On November 23, the Chancellor will set out his Fiscal Plan in which he will outline further details on the government’s fiscal rules, including ensuring that debt falls as a share of GDP in the medium term.

"This will also be accompanied by a full forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility.”