Budget: Rishi Sunak refuses to commit to tax cuts before next general election
Chancellor Rishi Sunak this morning refused to commit to cutting taxes before the next general election.
Asked on Sky News whether he would slash taxes before the next Westminster polling day, which is expected to be held by 2024, Mr Sunak said: “We started cutting taxes yesterday, our priority being those on the lowest incomes.
“There is a tax cut for two million families (the reduction of the Universal Credit taper rate) and it is not going to come in as normal next April – it is going to come in, in a few weeks time so we can get help to people right now.
“But, as I said very clearly yesterday, my ambition is to lower taxes for people, that is what I would like to do as Chancellor.
“We had to take some corrective action as a result of the crisis and the response we took to it, but hopefully that now is done and, as we demonstrated yesterday, our priority is to make sure that work pays, that we reward people’s efforts and I’m delighted we could make a start on that yesterday.”
Pressed on whether there would be income tax cuts before the next election, the Chancellor replied: “No, no – let’s talk about this Budget rather than all the other ones.”