Boris Johnson’s planned tax hike in national insurance will go ahead in April, “no ifs, no buts” Downing Street has confirmed.
A Number 10 spokesman said the Prime Minister and chancellor Rishi Sunak were “fully committed” to the rise despite reports that Johnson was “back-sliding” on the tax rise in an attempt to buy off Tory backbench MPs who might try to oust him.
Previously, the PM stopped short on Thursday of an outright guarantee that the 1.25 percentage point increase would go ahead as nary backbenchers demanded a delay as the price for their continued support in the ‘partygate’ controversy.
At a Downing Street briefing for political journalists, a spokesman said: “The Prime Minister and Chancellor are fully committed to introducing the health and social care levy in April.
The official said: "This is something we have legislated for and we have been clear on the rationale for it.”
Asked if it was a “no ifs, no buts” commitment, the spokesman said yes.
He said the £12 billion raised from the 1.25 per cent rise for employees and employers would be used to clear the NHS backlog caused by the pandemic, and fund a new social care settlement in England.
On the BBC’s Question Time on Thursday defence minister James Heappey said the government was “in listening mode” amid mounting public concern at the imminent tax hike.
He said: “There are plenty of people that are on good salaries that are starting to worry about how they’re going to make ends meet and the government is seeking to address that.”
Labour’s Ian Murray MP said the tax hike would hit families hard just as they already faced other rising costs.’
The Shadow Scottish Secretary said: “We voted against this because it’s the worst possible time to take more money out of the pockets of working people in this country.”
He added: “This is a 10 per cent rise in national insurance that affects every single individual that pays tax and also every business that pays tax for their employees as well.”
So, it’s the wrong tax at the wrong time when spiralling costs of the weekly shop, spiralling places at the pumps and spiralling energy bills will just make this worse.”
