On Wednesday, Jeremy Hunt tabled the budget in parliament. These included a 2p cut to National Insurance, extra funding to update the NHS's IT systems and the abolition of non-national tax status.
The budget was seen as the government's last chance to make a difference to voters' finances before the general election, and the political strategy was clear. Hunt used this moment to paint Labor as a party that cannot be trusted on the economy.
“Their plan destroys jobs, reduces opportunities and puts households at risk with spending that will drive up taxes,” Hunt told the House of Commons.
In response, Labor leader Keir Starmer called the Budget's tax cuts a “Tory fraud”.
“Give with one hand and receive more with the other,” he said.
Correspondent and former political editor of the Guardian heather stewart To tell Nosheen Iqbal What impact will this Budget have on public spending, what does it suggest about the government's electoral strategy and what challenges does it present for Labor?
Photo: Jessica Taylor/British Parliament/AFP/Getty Images
support guardian
The Guardian is editorially independent. And we want to keep our journalism open and accessible to everyone. But more and more, we need readers to help fund our work.
support guardian
