SURELY NO NEED FOR TAX HIKES WITH OUR GROWING ECONOMY!

RACHEL Reeves has been warned there is "absolutely no need" to hike taxes as the economy is growing at a "gangbusters" pace.

- Christian Calgie

The British economy has expanded for two quarters in a row, with gross domestic product rising by 0.6% between April and June.

The Tories have now called for the Chancellor to scrap plans to increase taxes in the Autumn Budget. Writing in the Daily Express today, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Laura Trott said: "There is absolutely no need or justification for tax rises.

"Rachel Reeves must now have the courage to be straight and honest with the British public about her plans and not take the public for fools."

Shadow Chancellor Jeremy Hunt argued that the GDP figures are "further proof that Labour have inherited a growing and resilient economy".

Mr Hunt, who is leading opposition to the Government's economic plans, added: "The Chancellor's attempt to blame her economic inheritance on her decision to raise taxes - tax rises she had always planned will not wash with the public.

"Labour promised over 50 times during the General Election that they would not raise people's taxes and we will hold them to account on their promises."

Excuses

Shadow Foreign Secretary and Tory leadership contender James Cleverly warned that the Government's claims about the state of the economy are an attempt to roll the pitch for tax increases on October 30.

Mr Cleverly argued: "The economy is growing, unemployment is down, inflation under control.

"That's what we handed across to the Labour Party.

"And what they're doing is what they always do, which is finding excuses to increase your taxes."

Apart from the post-pandemic rebound in 2020, the economic figures represented the strongest halfyear for growth since 2017.