I’m relieved that the Government has listened to us and our colleagues across local government and reversed its plan to scrap the Household Support Fund, which would have put Hackney residents who are most in need into even greater hardship.

But a last-minute extension of just six months continues a worrying trend of short-term funding. If we are to plan and deliver the vital services our communities rely on, then we desperately need sustained investment. This budget not only fails to fix the much bigger funding crisis currently facing councils, but will put even greater pressure on our finances in the times ahead.

After 14 years of austerity and over £150m reduction in our funding since 2010, the Chancellor’s suggestion that we can simply absorb further cuts through greater productivity is an insult to those who rely on the services that we provide.

In Hackney, despite these cuts, we agreed a balanced budget last week that will see continued investment in over 800 services. Today the Government has failed to respond to these same challenges on a national level, prioritising electioneering over the public services that make a real difference to people's lives.