Sir Keir Starmer accused of telling a 'double lie' on Budget


Sir Keir Starmer accused of telling a

Published 27 October 2024 Sir Keir Starmer was last night accused of telling a 'double lie' by insisting the Budget would not be a 'war on Middle Britain' nor break Labour manifesto promises. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is preparing to hit employers with a whopping £20 billion increase in their National Insurance bills and announce a welter of other expected tax rises on Wednesday. But the Prime Minister denied that he misled voters when he pledged during the General Election campaign not to hit 'working people' with increases to VAT, National Insurance or income tax. At a Commonwealth summit in the South Pacific, Sir Keir was asked whether he had Middle Britain in his sights with the £40 billion package of tax rises and spending cuts, and insisted: 'No. Let me be clear about that.' But Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick said last night: 'Sir Keir has lied not once but twice by claiming not to have breached his manifesto promises on tax and by insisting that his Budget will not be an assault on the heartlands of Middle Britain.' Mr Jenrick added: 'Nobody voted for Rachel Reeves's raid on working people. This is a political choice and we must fight it. 'It turns out Labour's election manifesto was another dodgy dossier – they lied to the British people through their teeth.' Wednesday's Budget is also likely to include increases to capital gains and inheritance taxes and extend freezes to income tax thresholds, dragging more people into higher rates as wages rise with inflation.