Wes Streeting has become the latest minister embroiled in the confusion about Labour’s definition of “working people”.
The health secretary, who earns around £160,000 per year, said he is a working person, but that Rachel Reeves was making decisions based on those “on low and middle incomes”.
It comes amid an ongoing scramble by the government to define the term, which formed the backbone of one of Labour’s key manifesto pledges.
The party promised to “not increase taxes on working people”, including ruling out VAT, income tax and national insurance hikes for the group.
But ministers have repeatedly been unable to say what they mean by “working people”, with Sir Keir Starmer sparking a row with landlords by claiming they are not “working people”.
Asked about the row over the term on Tuesday, Mr Streeting told Sky News: “I am a working person. Last time I checked I was working very hard.
“What I will say is that in our manifesto we were very clear about the steps we were going to take to protect working people, which was ruling out increases in income tax, national insurance and VAT, and despite all the pressures that we are under and the scale of the black hole in the public finances, we will honour every single one of those commitments.
"Just on this ‘working person point’, I think what we mean is when we’re making decisions, especially in the context of a Budget, who do we have in our mind’s eye?"
And, speaking to Sky’s Kay Burley, he said: “With the greatest respect to you and I, and the jobs that we do and the salaries we’re on, and I know you work hard doing your job, I don’t think the chancellor’s worried about whether you or I are going to get by. She is worried about people on low and middle incomes."
It comes ahead of Ms Reeves’ first Budget on Wednesday, in which she is expected to set out a brutal series of tax hikes and spending cuts totalling up to £40bn.
The Budget is expected to include an increase to employer national insurance contributions, which critics have said will be passed onto workers through lower future wage increases.
Mr Streeting’s intervention comes days after care minister Stephen Kinnock refused to say six times whether those earning £100,000 or more count as “working people” and would be protected by Labour’s pledge.
Sir Keir was embroiled in a row after suggesting those who have any income from stocks, shares and property do not count as working people. Downing Street quickly clarified that the PM meant those whose primary income derives from work, not from stocks, shares and property are working people.
In a speech ahead of the Budget, Sir Keir mentioned “working people” 24 times as he tried to see off criticism over his own vague definition by saying: “They know who they are”.
The speech was to pave the way for “tough decisions” when Ms Reeves delivers her Budget on Wednesday, blaming the Conservatives for the inheritance left behind for Labour.
