Gordon has described the Chancellor's "National Living Wage" announcement as a "fraud" after it was announced in yesterday's Budget.

Speaking to the Gazette, he said it was no more than just a rise in the minimum wage and would not do enough to help people on low wages in Blackpool.

The Living Wage Foundation set the Living Wage at £7.85 - 65p higher than what George Osborne announced yesterday. 

He said: "It is a sleight of hand, a fraud. It is less than the current level and won't apply to all under 25s.

"The Chancellor is completely out of touch with families needs. The decision to cap pay rises in the public sector at one per cent until 2020 is extremely divisive from a man who goes on about One Nation.

"It means in effect a pay cut for many workers in the Blackpool area for the next four years.

"A cut in inheritance tax is irrelevant to most people in Blackpool - there are not that many wishing to leave more than £1m to their children, it is just playing to the Tory Party gallery. 

"Cuts to benefits will do nothing to improve many people's situation in the poorest areas, if they start falling into debt on rent etc that will mean the burden will fall on local councils to cope.

"The cut to the maintenance grant for students will also hit poorer families and will not encourage aspiration or social mobility."