There is a significant mismatch between the positive feelings when the Tories were so soundly beaten and the growing disappointment with announcements continuing the cap on child benefit and the ending of a universal winter fuel payment to those receiving a state pension (Pressure grows on Rachel Reeves to end two-child benefit cap in next budget, 21 August). Although the Labour leadership consistently stated that if they won the election they would not raise taxes, friends and foes alike believed that that was an unrealistic commitment that would have to be broken once the new government learned the true state of the national finances.
But Rachel Reeves’s determination to be seen as a prudent chancellor may be boxing her into a corner, where she will only have room for relatively small technical changes to our loophole-laden tax system. This will not address the long-term neglect that has brought so many public services to their knees. An early announcement of a wealth tax, similar to that which the Green party had proposed, would steady the ship and would be more popular than “steady as she goes”.
Les Bright
Exeter
