Gove Joins Assault On Truss Income Tax Cuts For The Rich

The former cabinet minister Michael Gove has heavily criticised Liz Truss's plans for tax cuts for the rich, saying her unfunded £45bn package had the “wrong values” and was not Conservative.

- Andrew Woodcock

His intervention yesterday came as pressure from Tory MPs mounted for Ms Truss to perform a U-turn on controversial plans to axe the 45p income tax band, which gifts an average £10,000 to the 600,000 highest earners in the UK at a time when ministers are eyeing real-terms cuts to welfare benefits.

One former minister told The Independent the government would struggle to get the cut through the Commons when it comes before MPs in the new year, in what would be a virtually unprecedented rebellion against a Budget measure. “The sensible thing to do might be to put it off, say that they will do it, but in a few years. Give themselves wriggle room,” he said.

Last night it was reported that Ms Truss will attempt to delay the vote on cutting the 45p rate of tax for higher earners until the spring, ahead of the Budget.

Grant Shapps, the former transport secretary, joined Mr Gove in warning against the “politically tin-eared” plans. Writing in The Times, he said that the government should not be making “big giveaways to those who need them least... not least because it is being paid for with borrowed money.”

And there was a furious response from backbenchers to Tory chair Jake Berry’s warning that rebels would be stripped of the whip, with one former minister telling The Independent: “A threat to expel people who won’t go along with this batshit crazy cock-up is, frankly, bonkers.”

Conservative MP for Lewes, Maria Caulfield, tweeted yesterday evening: “I can’t support the 45p tax removal when nurses are struggling to pay their bills.” She tagged Mr Berry in her comment, continuing: “If Tory party don’t want this working-class MP, fair enough.”