John Healey's budget criticised as 'small beer' on growth and defence

John Healey's first Budget is under scrutiny over whether it does enough for borrowing, growth and public services. On BBC Two's Politics Live, the Chancellor said his Budget would help the country weather the economic storms ahead.

The Budget included £100 for millions of households to help with energy bills this winter, BBC Two's Politics Live reported. Rachel Blake, the Labour MP, said the payment would make a real difference. She argued that devolution measures in the Budget were radical.

On the same programme, Sir Mel Stride, the Conservative MP and former cabinet minister, called the Budget a missed opportunity. He said big decisions on defence and welfare had been kicked down the road. He said the one-off £100 payment was small next to energy bills rising by several hundred pounds, and that a Conservative cheap power plan would save £200 every year.

Faiza Shaheen, from Tax Justice UK, said the Budget did not end neoliberalism. She said it offered 'bits of tinkering here and there' instead of action on capital gains tax or wealth taxes. BBC Two's Politics Live also heard Vicki Young note that the pound was steady and government borrowing costs had dipped slightly. She asked whether that meant the Chancellor had not spooked the markets. Sir Mel Stride rejected the idea that the Budget was a success.

On BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the economist Andy Haldane said the Budget was 'small beer' and a 'no score draw' for growth and fiscal credibility. He said the OBR scored its growth impact at 'a nice round number'. He warned that living standards faced a decade of flatlining.

BBC One also reported that Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's former first minister, said the jury was out on whether the Budget was a down payment on radical reform. She said public anger would kick in if it was not. Kemi Badenoch claimed there was a tax bombshell on the way, and BBC One reported that the Sunday Telegraph led on her claims of a black hole in the Budget.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, former chief of the defence staff, said the extra money for defence was welcome but not yet enough. He said commitments to reach defence spending of 3.5% of GDP by 2035 still had to be turned into kit. He said ships, aircraft, tanks and ammunition were getting smaller rather than larger.

In an interview with BBC One, John Healey said: 'This is a radical budget.' He said it could not just be judged by the scale of tax or spending increases. He said people would see it gives hope for the future.