Lord Sugar slams Chancellor’s ‘demoralising’ National Insurance tax hike on self-employed

Lord Sugar has slammed Philip Hammond for his National Insurance tax raid – calling it “punitive” and “demoralising” for Britain’s army of self-employed workers.

The Apprentice star become biggest name yet to pan the Chancellor for his £2 billion tax grab on White Van Man.

The millionaire businessman - who started off selling goods out of a van in east London - told The Sun: “I find any punitive tax measures imposed on self employed people who have taken the leap to go alone is anti-enterprise and demoralising for those it affects.”

The blast came as it emerged Boris Johnson will be “parachuted in” to speak in a debate on the Budget today in the Commons, despite his role as Foreign Secretary having little to do with the Government’s tax and spending plans.

Mr Hammond hopes Mr Johnson’s popularity and better communication skills can help save his controversial decision to raise National Insurance on the self-employed from nine to 11 per cent.

It comes as The Sun’s campaign to axe his £2billion tax grab gathered momentum - and readers began displaying our campaign bumper sticker that reads: “Stop Hammond’s White Van Scam”.

The fierce political row over the policy between No 10 and the Treasury deepened over the weekend as allies traded blows over who was to blame over the shambles.

Cabinet ministers blasted the Chancellor for failing to warn colleagues ahead of the Budget that the move broke a key Tory manifesto pledge not to raise tax.

A No 10 aide said Mr Hammond had “smuggled” the tax hike into his Budget without Mrs May’s support.

But Treasury sources blamed Downing Street for demanding money to pay for Mrs May’s pet projects.