The PM was given the chance to rule out the spectre of crippling hikes raised by Philip Hammond but blatantly ducked the issue, fuelling speculation of a raid on the nation’s pay packets if she is returned to power
THERESA May refused to rule out tax rises yesterday amid a bitter row with her Chancellor.
The PM was asked three times if she would keep the Tories’ 2015 pledge to peg income tax, VAT and national insurance.
But she blatantly ducked the issue, fuelling speculation of a raid on the nation’s pay packets if she is returned to power.
Mrs May was given the chance to rule out the spectre of crippling hikes raised by Philip Hammond.
He had hinted he wanted to revive his ditched Budget day rises for self-employed strivers by scrapping David Cameron’s 2015 “tax lock” pledge. But the PM refused to slap him down or back him up.
That sparked claims by former Coalition Business Secretary Vince Cable the pair are now “at war” over tax.
Mrs May was urged to come clean as she hit the campaign trail in the West Midlands.
She would not be drawn on whether her predecessor’s 2015 commitment not to raise taxes would be in her manifesto. The PM has already paved the way for higher overseas aid spending and the end of “triple lock” protection for pensions.
Asked to rule out tax rises, all she would say is voters would have a choice of “lower taxes under the Conservatives or higher taxes under Labour”.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell claimed she plans a “tax bombshell”.
Mr Cable said: “Philip Hammond admitted taxes would have to rise, no doubt due to Theresa May’s hard Brexit that could leave anything up to a £100billion Brexit black hole in the public finances.
“Theresa May should come clean on how she intends to fill the Brexit black hole if she won’t increase taxes.”
