A WEST Cumbrian infected blood campaigner has welcomed a financial commitment made by the Chancellor in the Labour government's first budget since its election.

Stuart Hall from Stainburn in Workington was infected with hepatitis C infected blood via blood transfusions whilst undergoing treatment for leukaemia in the 1980s.

The retired local government officer was told in the early 1990s he had been infected with the virus which, over the years, has led him to develop liver cancer and later cirrhosis of the liver, until he had a full liver transplant in 2021.

Mr Hall has been one of many infected blood victims who have campaigned for compensation from the government after what he says have been extremely frustrating delays for the over 30,000 people in the UK affected by the scandal.

On Wednesday, October 30 the chancellor announced that £11.8bn would be set aside for those affected by the infected blood scandal, saying that the compensation was “long overdue for the pain and injustice that they have suffered”.

The move has come as welcome news to campaigner Mr Hall who has previously said that the scandal has had a 'devastating affect' on his life.

He said: "I was relieved to see this government making a financial commitment in the budget to the victims of the biggest treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.

"It's clear that the previous government had not allocated any money to pay the compensation they promised in May."

In July Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister took to the benches of the House of Commons to speak for the first time, asking the Leader of the House Lucy Powell whether there would be a debate on the infected blood scandal in the current Parliament.

In the first Budget ever delivered by a female chancellor, and the first Labour financial statement since 2010,  Rachel Reeves also announced £40 billion a year in extra taxes as she increased Government borrowing and spending to “rebuild Britain”.

Ms Reeves said: “This is a moment of fundamental choice for Britain.

“I have made my choices. The responsible choices. To restore stability to our country. To protect working people.

“More teachers in our schools. More appointments in our NHS. More homes being built.

“Fixing the foundations of our economy. Investing in our future. Delivering change. Rebuilding Britain.”

But Tory leader Rishi Sunak accused Ms Reeves of “fiddling the figures” by changing the way debt is measured adding: “The reason the Chancellor has increased borrowing and increased taxes is because she has totally failed to grip public spending.”