Wed, 29 Oct 2025

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 Starmer declines to rule out breaking manifesto tax pledges

The prime minister fails to repeat a promise not to raise income tax rates, VAT or National Insurance next month.
Contrary to Sir Keir Starmer's previous assurances that he stood by his party's manifesto commitments, the Prime Minister declined to repeat this promise in Prime Minister's Questions, sparking accusations from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch that Labour is "too weak" to control public spending and will instead raise taxes. It has been reported that Reeves may break Labour's manifesto pledges to raise billions of pounds to plug a Budget shortfall. The Chancellor announced tax rises worth £40bn a year at her first Budget last November, but admitted she is now looking to raise taxes again in an effort to put the UK's finances on a firmer footing. Some senior Labour figures are privately suggesting that Reeves should make the case for raising income tax as it could raise a lot of money and would not create a single noisy lobby group in opposition. However, others are deeply nervous about this idea as it would amount to a breach of their pre-election promise. Labour's 2024 election manifesto pledged not to raise income tax rates, National Insurance contributions, or VAT, but the Chancellor has not ruled out continuing to freeze income tax thresholds beyond the 2028 date fixed by the last government. The Office for Budget Responsibility is set to revise down its predictions for productivity of the UK economy, leading to a £20bn gap in meeting Reeves' tax and spending rules. This has led some to speculate that the Chancellor will be forced to break Labour's manifesto pledges to raise taxes. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argued that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was "too weak" to control public spending and would instead raise taxes, citing that he had previously been a strong advocate for his party's tax promises.
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