32 Conservative MPs, including party stalwarts, pledge against further tax increases ahead of Tory conference
Ahead of the Tory conference in Manchester, a significant opposition has emerged from within the party. Led by Liz Truss, 32 Conservative MPs, including influential figures such as Dame Priti Patel, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, and Sir Jake Berry, have come together to sign a pledge opposing any new tax increases.
This substantial rebellion by Truss seems to be a response to last year’s political dynamics when allies of the current UK Prime Minister opposed her proposed initiatives, culminating in the breakdown of her brief 49-day premiership.
The heart of the pledge is to protect the financial well-being of the UK’s working class, families, and businesses by resisting any rise in the overall tax burden. This presents a marked challenge to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who has been resistant to tax reductions in the imminent Autumn statement.
Further amplifying the party’s internal tensions, it’s been recently disclosed that the Tory conference will feature a “rally for the manifesto”. Here, MPs, including the aforementioned 32, will convene to champion new policy directions, notably advocating for tax reductions and the UK’s departure from the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).
Speaking about the pledge, Sir Jake Berry underscored the need for an economy characterised by low taxes and high growth. He voiced his commitment to opposing any further impositions on taxpayers. Meanwhile, Dame Priti Patel stressed the urgency of alleviating tax pressures on families and businesses, which she asserts will subsequently boost economic growth and job opportunities.
This amalgamation of Tory voices illustrates a marked discontent with the government’s present tax strategies, hinting at a brewing schism within the Conservative party. Source
