Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is set to unveil new tax cuts if the Conservatives win the general election as he accuses Labour of “playground politics” following Sir Keir Starmer’s speech on Thursday.
Speaking from London he will pledge “taxes will go down under a Conservative government” and accuse Labour Shadow Secretary, Rachel Reeves, of planning to hike spending to fund the party’s pledges.
He will vow to scrap national insurance – a measure which Labour has labelled as an unfunded £46 billion pledge.
The overall tax burden is set to rise over the next five years to around 37% of GDP, but Mr Hunt will say the current plans are necessary to pay for the pandemic-era furlough scheme and the energy bill bailout.
It comes as Rishi Sunak’s attempts to kickstart the general election campaign last week failed to move voters, a new poll has revealed.
During his speech, the Prime Minister claimed the UK is facing a threat of nuclear war and that the Government needs to have a government strong on defence and security.
Key Points
- Chancellor to announce new tax cuts in speech
- Education Secretary announces changes to sex education in schools
- Sir Keir Starmer has launched his electoral pitch
- Rishi Sunak is grilled on Loose Women
Chancellor to announce new tax cuts in speech
Jeremy Hunt is set to unveil further tax cuts in a speech from London this morning.
As part of his pre-election pledge, the Tory MP will attempt to convince voters by promising “taxes will go down under a Conservative government”.
He will also accuse Labour opposite number Rachel Reeves of planning hikes to cover spending pledges.
Mr Hunt will: “Labour like to criticise tax rises this parliament thinking people don’t know why they have gone up – the furlough scheme, the energy price guarantee and billions of pounds of cost-of-living support, policies Labour themselves supported.
“Which is why it is playground politics to use those tax rises to distract debate from the biggest divide in British politics – which is what happens next.
“Conservatives recognise that whilst those tax rises may have been necessary, they should not be permanent. Labour do not.”
Sunak’s nuclear threat fails to make impact on Tory poll numbers
Rishi Sunak’s attempts to kickstart the general election campaign with a threat of nuclear war and a need to have a government strong on defence and security has failed to move voters, a new poll has revealed.
The Techne UK weekly tracker poll seen by The Independent has shown that Mr Sunak’s speech at the Policy Exchange thinktank has left his party rooted on just 21 percent, unchanged from last week.
Read the full story here:
Rishi Sunak’s threat of nuclear war failed to move voters, new poll reveals
This week’s weekly tracker poll by Techne UK provides more bad news for the Tories
David Maddox17 May 2024 07:16 1715889609MPs call for vote on compensation for Waspi women
MPs have urged to vote in the Commons on whether compensation should be given to women born in the 1950s.
A Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) report ruled in March that they were not adequately informed about the impact of state pension changes.
During a backbench debate today, MPs said women suffered a “gross injustice” and a compensation scheme should be established urgently.
SNP frontbencher Patricia Gibson said the Ombudsman’s report makes it “very clear” that women were not informed appropriately and the DWP was “negligent”.
Mortgage repossession claims hit five year high in aftermath of Liz Truss mini-budget
Warning the new figures show a steep rise in the number of families at risk of losing their homes.
Mortgage repossession claims hit five year high in aftermath of Liz Truss mini-budget
Warning the new figures show a steep rise in the number of families at risk of losing their homes
Salma Ouaguira16 May 2024 20:30 1715886019Labour plans to win over new voters
Starmer has been asked how he would win back voters who turned away from Labour over Gaza in the local elections.
He replied: “It is really important that we win over voters who haven’t voted for us before, which is why I’m so pleased to be introduced today.
“I think, firstly, I’d say if you look at those local elections, I think we showed that we can win anywhere.
“We’ve had a really successful set of elections, if you look at them in the round, and that was the last time anyone will vote effectively before the general election.
“The challenge that you put me is a really important one and I think part of the answer to that is to be clear that the missions that we are setting out for the future of our country.
“I said it’s a decade of national renewal. That’s a national project. So, you don’t have to be tribally Labour to want your family, your community, your country, to improve.”
Salma Ouaguira16 May 2024 20:00 1715884219UK and Bangladesh sign agreement to tackle illegal migration
The UK government has signed a new agreement with Bangladesh, which ministers say will speed up the return of illegal migrants in the UK.
The returns agreement will streamline the returns process by removing a mandatory interview for cases where there is good supporting evidence for removal.
Announcing the agreement, the Home Office said that failed asylum seekers, foreign national offenders, and individuals who have overstayed their visas will all be returned sooner as a result.
Illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson said: “We have already seen clear evidence that these agreements have a significant impact on illegal migration. Global issues require global solutions and I look forward to working with Bangladesh and other partners to create a fairer system for all.”
Salma Ouaguira16 May 2024 19:30 1715882449Sketch: Project Starmer, like Project Blair, is all about one thing: winning
Despite some woolly promises (and the noticeable absence of a pledge on income tax), the Labour leader who set out his six pledges in Essex is a quantum leap improvement on the Starmer of a year ago, writes Joe Murphy.
Project Starmer, like Project Blair, is all about one thing
Despite some woolly promises (and the noticeable absence of a pledge on income tax), the Labour leader who set out his six pledges in Essex is a quantum leap improvement on the Starmer of a year ago, writes Joe Murphy
Salma Ouaguira16 May 2024 19:00 1715880657Labour goes on a 48 hour campaign blitz
Labour has set out its target constituencies for a 48-hour campaign blitz.
Following Keir Starmer firing the starting gun on their general election campaign, Labour will splurge its biggest spend on advertising since 2019.
On Thursday and Friday, there will be a series of adverts dropping across the country to mark the launch of Starmer’s first steps for change.
Shadow cabinet members will also be taking Labour’s message to the country on a series of visits and ad vans in areas such as Wolverhampton, Bassetlaw, Swindon, Leigh, Doncaster, Barnet, Newcastle, Aldershot and Thurrock.
Labour has said to expect to see billboards up and down the country in London, Rochester, Swindon, West Mids, Loughborough, Manchester, Doncaster, Newcastle, Leigh, Bristol, Norwich, Peterborough, Leeds, Darlington, Bolton, Great Yarmouth, Northampton, Mansfield, Burnley, and Stoke on Trent.
All these are seats they have lost to the Tories in the last 15 years and hope to win back.
Salma Ouaguira16 May 2024 18:30 1715878809Former Conservative donor backs Sir Keir Starmer
Rob Boughton, who runs one of the biggest developers in the southeast has appeared during Labour’s election pitch.
Mr Boughton, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Thakeham, previously donated nearly £1million to the Conservative party since 2017.
But he is now supporting the Labour party’s bid to “renew Britain”.
David Cameron’s Bullingdon Club pal endorses Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour
Sebastian James, an Old Etonian friend of Boris Johnson and David Cameron, praised Sir Keir’s focus on economic growth and Britain’s high streets.
Cameron’s Bullingdon Club pal endorses Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour
Sebastian James, an Old Etonian friend of Boris Johnson and David Cameron, praised Sir Keir’s focus on economic growth and Britain’s high streets
Salma Ouaguira16 May 2024 17:30 Newer1 / 5OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
