CAROLINE LUCAS has called on the Chancellor to build more affordable houses, tax the rich, fund the NHS and slash VAT on tourism to give Brighton and Hove a boost.

Writing in The Argus ahead of Wednesday Budget, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion also urged Philip Hammond to crack down on tax evasion so we can invest in schools, hospitals and police.

She said: “Though the chances are slim, what Philip Hammond really needs to do is u-turn on his party’s failing economic strategy.

“We know that the big companies and the super rich continue to enjoy tax breaks while public services are stretched to breaking point - so his first move should be to seriously crack down on tax evasion.”

She said her top priority is building more affordable homes across Brighton and Hove as well as reducing rents.

She said: “The Government should be ploughing resources into local authorities to allow them to build genuinely affordable council homes, and allowing them to borrow against their assets.

“If the Budget is seriously aiming to tackle the housing crisis, then rent controls should be announced too.”

She also said Mr Hammond needed an urgent rethink of the rollout of Universal Credit and an end to the benefits freeze.

“With so many people here facing being plunged into poverty this Christmas it’s absolutely crucial that the Government think again about these extremely damaging policies,” she said.

“In the long term we need a social security system that genuinely empowers people, provides security in an age of unpredictable work-life balance patterns.”

On the NHS she said the Chancellor should consider raising tax “for those who can afford it” in order to “protect our city’s health”.

She also renewed her call for VAT on tourism to be slashed to five per cent.

She said: “All but three of 36 European nations levy a reduced form of VAT on tourism, for the very good reason that it makes economic sense – and I’m urging the UK to follow suit and give cities like Brighton and Hove a boost.”

On schools she said the Government’s funding formula fails to address the education in the city.

She said: “The planned cuts could have devastating consequences on our schools, and the prospect of losing 37 teachers in my constituency alone underlines just how damaging these changes will be for our city.”

She has called on the Chancellor to reverse his education plans.

Ms Lucas MP also called for environmental protection in the Budget. She said: “The first priority should be rolling out home insulation across the country to keep everyone warm, cut bills and reduce carbon emissions.

“To meet our climate change goals we must also commit to funding more offshore wind in the long term, end the ban on onshore wind and to ban fracking and stop tax breaks for gas extraction.”

She called on the Government to save money by scrapping Heathrow expansion, Hinkley Nuclear power station and HS2. She said: “The money would be far better spent elsewhere.”