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Rishi Sunak’s claim that Labour will hike household taxes by £2,000 is being investigated by the UK’s official statistics regulator.
The Prime Minister has come under attack as Labour Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves accused him of lying 12 times during last night’s ITV debate, with shadow Cabinet Office minister Jonathan Ashworth saying he has “exposed himself as no better than Johnson”.
It comes as the Treasury has poured cold water on Mr Sunak’s claim that Labour will put up taxes by £2,000 for every household. In the first televised debate of the general election campaign, the prime minister repeatedly pointed to a £38.5bn black hole in Sir Keir Starmer’s spending plans.
However, Treasury permanent secretary James Bowler wrote to the Labour Party on Monday to dismiss the claim. The figure “includes costs beyond those provided by the civil service and published online by HM Treasury”, he told shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones.
But it appears the prime minister is not backing away from the claims. Instead, he doubled down on the accusations and warned voters that Labour would cause a “£2,094 tax hike” if they win.
Breaking: Sunak’s £2,000 Labour tax hike claim investigated by UK statistics regulator
The UK’s official statistics regulator is investigating claims made by the Conservatives about the tax burden families could face if Labour wins the general election.
The Office for Statistics Regulation – which is the independent regulatory of the UK Statistics Authority – is looking into the veracity of the Tory claim that Labour tax rises would amount to just over £2,000 over four years per working household.
The body hasn’t detailed how long the inquiry will take.
Chair of the UK Statistics Authority, Sir Robert Chote has written to leaders urging to use statistics “appropriately and transparently”.
Sir Robert Chote said: “We believe official statistics should serve the public good. This means that when statistics and quantitative claims are used in public debate, they should enhance understanding of the topics being debated and not be used in a way that has the potential to mislead.”
General election countdown: What the 1983 and 2017 votes tell us about Starmer’s lead over Sunak
Ever since Rishi Sunak made his announcement in the rain in Downing Street, the election campaign has been characterised by an inability to budge Labour’s lead – but past contests suggest movement is still possible, Alicja Hagopian reports.
This week’s polls show a massive lead for Sir Keir Starmer, with the party at about 45 per cent and the Tories hovering around 20.
Labour has hopes of surpassing Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide victory.
But the game is not over yet. In 1983, a SDP-Liberal Alliance came from well behind to run Labour close for second place in the popular vote.
More recently, in 2017 the Tories’ 20-point lead seeped away under the challenge of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour, and Theresa May was left to form a minority government.
Analysis: Was Rishi Sunak’s £2,000 tax hike claim – rubbished by the Treasury – worth it?
‘Sunak lied about more than just tax,’ Labour MP says
Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry has accused Rishi Sunak of lying about other things than just tax.
The MP for Islington South and Finsbury said: “He just seems to lie and I think it’s because he’s desperate and a Prime Minister behaving in this way demeans the office of Prime Minister, I think it cheapens our politics.”
Jeremy Corbyn: ‘Treatment of Diane Abbott deplorable’
The former leader of the opposition took aim at Sir Keir Starmer and his decision to deselect Faiza Shaheen and the way he treated Diane Abbott.
Mr Corbyn told the BBC: “I think it’s deplorable. Diane has suffered more abuse than any other MP, probably as much abuse as all MPs put together sometimes, yet she’s stoically gone through it all and I think she should be admired as a woman who set the trend and inspired so many people to get involved in politics. Surely she’s the most valuable asset.
“Likewise Faiza, a fantastic candidate, very knowledgeable person, a great economist. People like that you need in Parliament, you don’t need to destroy their image and destroy their personality to put somebody else in their place.”
‘Migration not an issue the Tories can win on,’ says polling expert
The Tories have been pledging they will stop the boats, and dangling the elusive carrot of Rwanda flights over voters if they are elected, Alicja Hagopian reports.
But Professor Will Jennings, polling expert, says that immigration is not usually an issue that gains votes for the party in power; particularly since the Tories have been at the helm for 14 years.
“Immigration is not an issue you can gain on; but it is an issue you can lose on,” Mr Jennings warned at an elections panel hosted by LSE and the British Polling Council today.
Meanwhile, parties challenging Tory leadership have a chance to scoop up voters concerned by immigration levels; Labour has pledged to tackle channel crossings, and Reform is running on a central anti-immigration stance.
Breaking: Woman charged after milkshake thrown over Nigel Farage
Victoria Thomas Bowen, 25, has been charged with assault by beating and criminal damage after a milkshake was thrown at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage following a campaign event in Clacton, Essex Police said.
The Reform UK leader was leaving a Wetherspoons pub after carrying out media interviews when he was hit by the banana milkshake in front of his supporters on Tuesday.
Rory Stewart warns Tories not to ‘chase Farage’ and accuses party of giving up on youth vote
Chaos as Tory chairman put on a shortlist of one to ensure he gets a seat
Source: independent.co.uk
