Jeremy Hunt faces growing Tory revolt over ‘Scrooge’ tax rises and spending cuts in Budget
JEREMY Hunt faces a growing revolt over the “Scrooge” tax rises and spending cuts to be unveiled at today's Autumn Statement.
As he piles on the misery, the Chancellor will warn that economic stability “depends on taking difficult decisions now.”
But ex-Cabinet Minister Esther McVey said she would not vote to put up taxes on earners unless the £155billion “unnecessary vanity project” of HS2 is scrapped.
Other Tory MPs are also privately raging against the Chancellor’s “Austerity 2.0” package to tackle a £50billion hole in the national finances.
Last night 23 Tory MPs wrote to Mr Hunt to warn him off hiking fuel duty today.
The letter was organised by Keep It Down champion Jonathan Gullis and backed by ex ministers Priti Patel and Brandon Lewis and backbench boss Sir Graham Brady.
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The letter said: “It is critical that 37 million drivers have the same consumer protection afforded to other essential resources like energy.”
Mr Hunt is to increase pensions, benefits and the minimum wage by inflation.
But he will clobber millions of workers with stealth tax rises by freezing income thresholds for six years.
Those earning the average salary of £33,000 this year will pay an extra £2,500 in tax by 2027, said analysts AJ Bell.
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Those earning £50,000 will pay an additional £6,500.
Mr Hunt will say: “We are taking a balanced path to stability.”
He will vow to protect the vulnerable “because to be British is to be compassionate.”
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But ex-Treasury official Dario Perkins hit out: “It’s as if we’ve learned nothing.
“We have tried a decade of austerity. If they seriously do it again they will be unelectable for a generation.”