‘It’s not enough’: voters in Hartlepool unimpressed by budget – and Tories

People in ‘red wall’ town that elected a Conservative MP in 2021 do not expect to feel benefit of budget measures amid cost of living worries

“You don’t see it in your pocket,” said Jenny Nichols, a care support worker, when asked about the chancellor’s 2p cut in national insurance. “Things which come in one hand get taken away by another hand. The taxman will always get it back.”

On a cold, grey day, Nichols was enjoying a bracing walk with her partner, Raymond Wise, at Hartlepool marina. Both were underwhelmed as the Guardian reeled off the headlines from Jeremy Hunt’s budget.