Hammond’s U-turn

To The Times

It was almost amusing to read the Chancellor’s U-turn letter to MPS: “Since the Budget, however, there has been much comment on the question of commitments made in our 2015 manifesto.” In addition to not raising national insurance contributions, the 2015 Conservative manifesto promised to “keep our economy secure by running a surplus”, but Philip Hammond’s Budget schedules a large increase in the deficit. And as well as promising an In-out EU referendum, the 2015 manifesto stated: “We are clear what we want from Europe. We say: Yes to the single market.” Lawrence Brewer, Midlands European Movement