PM's Tax Cuts For Wealthy A Betrayal Of Manifesto Pledge To Level Up – Gove

Michael Gove has launched a sustained broadside at Liz Truss’s economic plans, saying it was “not Conservative” to fund tax cuts from borrowing and marked a betrayal of the party’s one nation 2019 election manifesto.

- Peter Walker, Jessica Elgot, Aubrey Allegretti 

In a frantic day of interventions, the former levelling up secretary first told BBC One – while Truss watched from the same studio – that it was probable he could not back the tax cuts in parliament before embarking on a string of similarly damning fringe appearances at the Conservative party conference.

While Gove insisted he was not in contact with other Conservative MPs, his status in the party is likely to make him a focus for a growing backbench rebellion over Truss’s decision to scrap the top rate of tax and the cap on bankers’ bonuses.

Despite warnings from the party chair, Jake Berry, that MPs who voted against the fiscal measures would lose the Tory whip, so far 12 backbenchers have said they plan to do so.

The mooted idea that the government would trim the welfare budget to pay for such changes was inconceivable, Gove said, telling Truss in effect she had to change course or risk her mini-budget being voted down.