Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly refused to rule out breaking Labour's manifesto promise by freezing income tax thresholds, despite insisting that politicians should stick to their word. During a trip to the G20 summit in South Africa, the Prime Minister evaded direct questions on the issue 12 times in a single television interview.
Asked whether leaders should honour their pledges, Sir Keir told Sky News: "Yes, it is important that politicians stick to their word." However, he declined to recommit to Labour's pre-election vow not to increase taxes on working people, as Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares to deliver a Budget widely expected to include tax hikes.
The Conservative Party has argued that extending the freeze would breach Labour's manifesto promise. The government is under pressure to fill a multi-billion-pound black hole in public finances, with official figures showing borrowing was £3bn higher in October than the Office for Budget Responsibility had forecast.
Ms Reeves, speaking to The Times Magazine, warned Britain must take "a different path" and could not continue to "muddle through". She also hit back at critics, saying she was "sick of people mansplaining how to be chancellor to me".
Stephen Millard, deputy director for macroeconomics at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, warned that while a freeze would raise revenue and widen the tax base, it would break the manifesto pledge and hit middle-income households, potentially failing to calm markets.
