Prime Minister is heckled after claiming he wants to cut taxes

Boris Johnson was heckled by opposition MPS after claiming he wants to cut taxes – just days before they are hiked by his Government.

The Prime Minister’s comments sparked fury on the opposition benches and cries of “rubbish”, with the public set to face the highest tax burden in 70 years.

His claims came after Sir Keir Starmer accused Mr Johnson of putting the Tory re-election campaign “over and above” helping people pay their bills.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said: “Does the Prime Minister still think that he and the Chancellor are taxcutting Conservatives?”

Mr Johnson replied: “I certainly do, because this is the Government that has just introduced not only the biggest cut in fuel duty ever, but the biggest cut in tax for working people in the last ten years – 70 per cent of the population paying National Insurance contributions will have a substantial tax cut as a result of what the Chancellor did.”

A Labour MP shouted “rubbish”. Mr Johnson replied: “They don’t like it, Mr Speaker. They always put up taxes.”

Sir Keir said the Government was giving £1 back for every £6 taken in taxes over “15 taxes rises, the highest tax burden for 70 years”.

He asked: “Prime Minister, is that cutting taxes or is that raising taxes?”

Mr Johnson replied: “I don’t know where he has been for the last two years, but even by the standards of Captain Hindsight, to obliterate the biggest pandemic for the last century from his memory, to obliterate the £408 billion we have had to spend to look after people up and down the country, is quite extraordinary.

“This is a Government that is getting on with reducing the tax burden wherever we can. What we are doing – there is one measure I think he should be supporting – and that is the health and care levy to fund our NHS.”

The Labour leader joked: “I can only hope that his police questionnaire was a bit more convincing than that.

“In 2024, when there just so happens to be a general election, they will introduce a small tax cut.

"That is not taking difficult decisions, it’s putting the Tory re-election campaign over and above helping people pay their bills.”