As I made clear in the Commons recently, the only thing leakier than the government’s pre-Budget period is the roof of Musgrove Park Hospital’s maternity and children’s unit.

2033 is just too far off for Musgrove's rebuild project; it has to start much sooner – I won’t be letting Ministers off the hook on that one. It really is time they came to see for themselves.

The fact the Office of Budget Responsibility had advised the hole in the public finances was £4 billion, rather than the impression of something much bigger (and the £10 billion they stated in March) gleaned from the Chancellor’s own comments, has been making headlines.

It’s clear she has serious questions to answer, and Lib Dems called her to the House of Commons to do so. However, I’m not one who favours the levels of personal vitriol increasingly flung about in our politics, and particularly during this budget. It demeans our politics.

In any case, it's people’s daily struggle with bills and the cost of living which should be uppermost in our minds.

We all need to work together towards an economy which will help lift our whole country especially those who work hard with not enough to show for it.

The real scandal here is that the Chancellor continued the Conservatives’ move of freezing tax thresholds, which will see more and more dragged into paying tax, while failing to do anything serious to boost growth.

We wanted to see a 5% cut in VAT for hospitality businesses on the High Street, a much-needed morale boost for customers and businesses alike, and the boost of a commitment to a new free trade agreement with the EU once again.

The respected National Bureau of Economic Research in the US has concluded the last government’s disastrous Brexit deal has cost our country a staggering £90 billion. If even the Yanks can see the opportunity for economic growth, I don’t know why the government doesn’t.

Locally jobs worries are really hitting home for the 250-plus employees hit by kdc/one’s proposal to close Wellington’s Swallowfield factory. With the town on the up in so many ways, this move remains incredibly disappointing.

This week I had a useful meeting with senior directors following on from my immediate response alongside councillor colleagues. I’m pleased to report that they have now ensured support from the Economic Development team at County Hall, which has already been on site in numbers offering help.

I’m determined that every single worker affected is given real help with employment and training opportunities and I’m now looking for opportunities in Parliament to press the Government further to step in with whatever support they can provide.

With Christmas on the horizon, our minds turn to those less fortunate that ourselves. For children who don ‘t otherwise get presents, Taunton’s Christmas Sparkle project does amazing work and it was a privilege to spend an hour or two helping out again this year.

For those without a home, things are, of course, even bleaker. There’s a worrying trend in the UK of rising homelessness, including a 20% increase in rough sleeping between 2023 and 2024, up to 4,667 people.

Young people and care leavers are disproportionately affected: as reported by the BBC, one third become homeless within 24 months of leaving care.

Somerset Council managed to bring down the numbers in temporary bed and breakfast accommodation at the beginning of the year but there are signs that homelessness is increasing, placing significant extra cost pressures on an already highly pressured council budget.

Great work is done in Taunton by Arc, working for the council, but at present the town does not have enough overnight accommodation, creating problems not only for homeless people but for residents and businesses in the town centre as well.

For 2026, I am drawing up plans to bring agencies together to tackle the problem. No one should be homeless particularly at Christmas.

As we approach the festive season, let's also remember all the Armed Forces and emergency service workers who will be on duty throughout and can I wish them, and you, a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.