CHANCELLOR Kenneth Clarke was today branded a Scrooge by a leading campaigner for pensioners' rights.

Senior citizens in East Lancashire will see some benefits from the pre-election Budget, but there was no early Christmas present.

Kevin Durkin, Age Concern's information officer in Blackburn, said pensioners hardly got a look-in as the Chancellor delivered his package of economic changes.

Some old folk will benefit from the increased personal allowance threshold, with fewer having to pay tax.

But he said he was "deeply disappointed" that there were no social security improvements for old folk.

And he was angry that the £10 Christmas bonus paid to pensioners since 1970 was not increased.

Mr Durkin said: "There are a million elderly people who are not claiming benefits they are entitled to. "Refusing to increase the Christmas bonus once again is an insult. We wanted measures which guaranteed that the poorest pensioners received something.

"At least most elderly people will applaud the move to increase the number of police officers."

Smokers were stunned by a 15p increase on 20 cigarettes, while petrol and diesel rose by 3p a litre. The RAC described it as a "hit and run" catastrophe.

Roger Yates, director of Edwards Wine Shop and Cheers off-licences in Blackburn, said he was disappointed the Chancellor had frozen duty on beer and wine. He said it would not be enough to stop East Lancashire people crossing the channel for cheap booze.

But he said most businesses would welcome a move to increase the controversial Alcopops drinks by up to 8p a bottle, and reduce spirits by 26p.

He said: "The reduction in spirits is welcomed, although the Budget could have done more to harmonise the relationship between the UK and EC countries by cutting beer duty. Any reduction would have been helpful."

Other measures were a 1p cut in the basic rate of income tax and the abolition of single-parent benefit from 1998.

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