Starmer Accuses Sunak of Lying About Labour’s Tax Plans
Heated Exchange in ITV Debate
During Tuesday evening's ITV debate, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak repeatedly claimed that a Labour government would result in a £2,000 tax increase per working household. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer responded by accusing Sunak of "deliberately" lying about Labour's tax plans.
Labour’s Tax Pledge
Starmer firmly stated that Labour would not impose tax increases on "working people." Both Labour and the Conservative Party have pledged not to raise the rates of income tax, National Insurance, and VAT if they win the upcoming election.
Analysis of Sunak's Claim
BBC Verify analyzed the costs behind Sunak's claim, revealing that the £2,000 figure might mislead people. The Tories maintain that the Prime Minister's statement was accurate, asserting that Labour's plans would indeed lead to higher taxes. They criticized Starmer for "throwing stones from a house made from the thinnest of glass."
Starmer's Response
Speaking to the media post-debate, Starmer emphasized the significance of the confrontation, accusing Sunak of desperation and dishonesty. He highlighted the exposure of the Prime Minister's character and reiterated the importance of factual accuracy.
Questionable Treasury Costings
Sunak's claim that "independent Treasury officials" had costed Labour's policies was also scrutinized. Treasury permanent secretary James Bowler clarified that the civil service was not involved in producing the Conservative Party’s document or calculating the £38bn figure. This figure, used to support Sunak's £2,000 claim, included costs beyond those provided by the civil service.
Official Statistics Regulator Investigates
The UK's official statistics regulator is investigating the Conservative claim. The £2,000 figure was derived from dividing the supposed £38.5bn cost of Labour’s spending commitments by the number of UK households with at least one working person, over a period of four years.
Civil Service Concerns
Former head of the civil service, Lord O’Donnell, criticized the process of costing opposition party policies, describing it as one of the "grubbiest processes" he had ever been involved in. He noted that both Labour and the Conservatives have engaged in this practice, using assumptions designed to make opposition policies appear unfavorable.
Conservative Defense
Conservative Treasury Minister Laura Trott defended Sunak, insisting that independent analysis had identified a "black hole" in Labour's spending plans. The Conservative Party spokesperson stated that their analysis was fair, using Labour's policies, their own costings, or official Treasury costings with conservative assumptions.
Liberal Democrat Critique
Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokeswoman Sarah Olney criticized Sunak for deceiving the public, comparing his tactics to those of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. She highlighted Sunak's history of raising taxes while claiming to cut them, questioning his promise to govern with integrity.
