Rishi Sunak faces major revolt as Tory MPs sign pledge to vote against tax rises
Robert Peston on risks of abolishing inheritance tax
Liz Truss appears to be exacting revenge for her humiliation at last year’s Tory party conference by leading a rebellion against Rishi Sunak over tax as he prepares for the Tory gathering this year in Manchester.
Ms Truss’s 49 day premiership began to unravel this time last year when Mr Sunak’s allies led by Michael Gove rebelled against her plans to cut benefits and the 45p top rate of income tax.
Now, Ms Truss and 31 other MPs including some big names and allies of Boris Johnson have got together to sign a pledge that they will not vote for anymore tax rises.
Among those who have signed the pledge are former Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel, former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former cabinet minister Sir Brandon Lewis, former chairman and founder of the powerful Northern Research Group Sir Jake Berry, and former Business Secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg.
The line up is he most formidable coalition against the Prime Minister yet since he took control after a coup was orchestrated against Ms Truss.
Click here to join our Whatsapp community to be the first to receive the latest politics news and analysis
READ MORE: Rishi Sunak mocks Johnson, Dorries, Truss and Hancock in speech to journalists
The move is a huge blow for the Prime Minister’s authority with the party already teatering on all out civil war.
The pledge reads: “I (insert MPs Name) pledge to the taxpayers of (constituency)and to the British People, that I will not vote for or support any new taxes that increase the overall tax burden. My pledge will protect the working people, families and businesses of our United Kingdom.”
The full list of MPs signing the pledge are: Sir Jake Berry, Sir Brandon Lewis, Rt Hon Liz Truss, Sir Jacob Rees Mogg, Dame Priti Patel, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Sir James Dudderidge, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, Sir John Redwood, Danny Kruger, Greg Smith, Bill Wiggin, John Stevenson, Damien Moore, Ben Bradley, David Jones, Karl McCartney, Col Bob Stewart, Lucy Allan, Craig Whittaker, Robert Courts, Craig Mackinley, Alun Cairns, Stephen McPartland, Henry Smith, Kevin Foster, Paul Bristow, Chris Green, Adam Holloway, Nick Fletcher, Jonathan Gullis and Marcus Fysh.
With Chancellor Jeremy Hunt resisting bringing taxes down in the Autumn statement it means he and Mr Sunak are faced with a formidable opposition within their own party.
And it comes just days after Express.co.uk revealed that the conference will see a “rally for the manifesto” where MPs from the right including those 32 and others will join together to demand a series of new policies including tax cuts and quitting the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).
Don’t miss…
Suella Braverman took the idea to leave the ECHR from fringe to mainstream[INSIGHT]
Tory MP demanding GB News ‘taken off air’ earned thousands from rival channel[REVEAL]
Tory civil war erupts over GB News with fury at MP who wants it taken off air[REACT]
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Speaking about the pledge, Sir Jake said: “For too long, we have seen the flawed political idea of taxing the economy towards health. Whilst we know this does not work, it continues to happen. Now is the time to take a stand and to make clear that this should not happen any longer.
“I believe in Britain and the British people; we must trust them to make decisions about their own lives.
“I want to see a low tax, high growth economy, and this cannot happen with further tax increases when they are already at a 75-year high.
“There is no such thing as government money, only taxpayers money. And together, we are making a statement to our constituents, such as mine in Rossendale and Darwen, that we will not vote for any tax rises that increase the tax burden, which takes more of their hard earned money out of their pockets.”
Dame Priti Patel said: “In these challenging times, we must be ambitious, reforming and bold to cut the tax burden on hardworking families and businesses so they can keep more of what they earn to support themselves and create growth in the economy. The Conservatives are the party of low taxes and economic freedom and staying true to those values will help us win the next General Election.
“Households and businesses face the highest tax burden in 70 years. State spending is now nearly £1.2 trillion, with over £1 trillion being raised in taxes. This level of spending, borrowing and taxation is unsustainable. The British people need a tax break – we need to trust people and businesses to keep more of what they earn and spend their money to support themselves and economic growth.
“We cannot tax our way to growth and spend our way to prosperity. We need the ingenuity of enterprise to create growth, jobs and prosperity – and this can only happen if we ease the tax burden and give them the economic freedoms to succeed.”
The early focus on Mr Sunak’s opponents now will be at the gala dinner of the Conservative Democratic Organisation on Sunday night where Dame Priti and Sir Jacob are among the hosts.
The CDO is made up of angry Conservative members who believe the party needs reforming after MPs removed Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
But it also reflects anger over the current Government’s tax raising polcies.
Source: Read Full Article
