SIR Keir Starmer has refused to pledge an end to stealth tax raids on workers – despite hammering the Tories on it.
The Labour leader acknowledged the record high tax burden should not be increased any more when pressed by The Sun.
PALabour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer gives a speech in Bristol as he kicks off the election year[/caption]
But when asked if he would cut people’s taxes by unfreezing income tax thresholds, Sir Keir not only ruled it out but played down the prospect.
The Labour chief used a new year’s speech in Bristol to declare he was “ready” to take on Rishi Sunak at the polls, but he faced questions about the policies his party was offering voters.
The party’s approach on taxation has been the subject of growing speculation in recent weeks, with reports income tax cuts could be part of a manifesto pledge
At a Q&A with journalists after the speech, Sir Keir said on income thresholds: “Before we get to the question of tax we’ve got to grow the economy.
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“Of course, we’ve got at least another fiscal event before the election, we need to see what the situation is there, but in principle I do want to see lower taxes on working people, I want people to have more money in their pocket.”
Pressed further by The Sun on whether Brits could see the overall tax burden reduced under his leadership, the Labour leader said any tax increases will be set out “well in advance of an election”.
But he added: “When the burden, the tax burden is the highest it has been since the Second World War, then I don’t see the way forward as increasing that burden, saving those expressed areas where we have said so.
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“I do want the burden on working people to come down but any tax adjustments have to be fair and they have to be affordable and that’s the difference between us and the Government.”
Flip-flopping Sir Keir also conceded Labour’s £28 billion annual green energy investment might be scaled back based on the economic picture, but slammed Tory attacks on the plan as “misconceived”.
Labour had originally promised to invest £28 billion a year until 2030 in green projects if it came to power but last year, Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the figure would instead be a target to work towards in the second half of a first parliament.
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