Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to make wealth creation the “number one priority” should he win the general election as the Labour Party is set to announce its manifesto three weeks into the campaign trail.
The Labour leader promised his time in Downing Street would be distinctly “pro-business and pro-worker” as he seeks to win over disaffected Tory voters angry at a flatlined economy under prime minister Rishi Sunak.
Labour’s manifesto announcement is expected to include a pledge to cap corporation tax at its current rate of 25 per cent to give businesses long-term certainty - the latest in a series of promises not to raise tax.
But Sir Keir’s possible tax policies came under question during a televised Sky News interview and Q&A on Wednesday night.
The Labour leader was pressed about whether his party would consider hiking fuel duty or capital gains tax to raise more cash for the public purse, after he already ruled out raising income tax, national insurance, or VAT in the next parliament.
“There are no surprises in our manifesto, because our manifesto is a manifesto for growth,” he responded.
