Taxpayers deserve a “bit of a tax break this year”, a minister suggested this morning as Jeremy Hunt prepares to deliver his Budget tomorrow.
Greg Hands, a trade minister, said a “responsible” Budget would include both money for public services and measures to help people feel better off.
Asked what a “responsible” Budget would look like, Mr Hands told Sky News: “I think a responsible Budget would be making sure the country, the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, from Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the spike in inflation that we have had to deal with.
“And I think that means continuing to put a record amount of funding into public services while still giving the British people I think a bit of a tax break this year as well.
“That is what I think a responsible Budget would look like, balanced between the need to reduce taxation while still keeping record amount of funding into public services.”
Mr Hunt, the Chancellor, has signalled that he wants to move towards a “lower tax economy” in a hint at a pre-election giveaway to voters in the form of a national insurance or income tax cut.
But he has been clear that he will not pay for tax cuts with borrowing, meaning a combination of spending cuts and tax rises elsewhere would likely be required to find the money.
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