Prime Minister Boris Johnson has refused to rule out further tax rises again, three weeks before the chancellor announces the Budget.
Speaking on the first day of his party’s conference in Manchester, the prime minister said he was a “zealous opponent of unnecessary tax rises”.
But he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr that the pandemic had hit the UK’s economy like a “fiscal meteorite”.
The PM’s comments come amidst concerns over the cost of living, with rising energy and food prices, and shortages of fuel.
Last month, the government announced it would be raising National Insurance to pay for health and social care.
Asked then whether he would rule out additional taxes, Mr Johnson said he could give an “emotional commitment” that he did not want to introduce further rises but did not rule the idea out altogether.
When asked if he would raise taxes again, Mr Johnson replied: “If I can possibly avoid it, I do not want to raise taxes again.”
He added: “I can tell you that you have no fiercer and more zealous opponent of unnecessary tax rises than me, but we have had to deal with a pandemic on a scale which this country has not seen before in our lifetimes and long before.
“We don’t want to raise taxes, of course we don’t, but what we will not do is be irresponsible with the public finances.”
Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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