Tax reductions twice as likely under Starmer rule, say voters

VOTERS believe that Labour is twice as likely to cut taxes as the Conservatives, polling for The Sunday Telegraph reveals today.

The survey found that half trust Sir Keir Starmer to put money back in their pockets compared to fewer than a quarter who say the same of Rishi Sunak.

Asked about the burden, 49 per cent said it was too high and only 13 per cent believed it should be raised. The results add to the clamour among Tory MPs for the Prime Minister to change course.

Treasury insiders have warned that Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, will not be unveiling tax cuts in his spring Budget. They insist that the “priority is to drive down inflation first”.

Asked which of the political parties they “trust more” to cut taxes, 49 per cent said Labour; 23 per cent opted for the Conservatives. The Savanta poll found that only 28 per cent believe the “general level of taxation is about right”.

Of the surveyed, 41 per cent wanted income tax cut most, 31 per cent said VAT, 13 per cent National Insurance and 5 per cent corporation tax. But that was a lower priority than fixing public services and illegal immigration.

Four in 10 said the NHS backlog should be the primary focus; 29 per cent said it should be halving inflation. Cutting taxes was the main priority for 10 per cent of those asked. The Government has predicted 1.5 million people will be dragged into higher tax bands in the next five years. HMRC projections show an extra 1,130,000 workers will be hit with the 40p rate, which kicks in at £50,271, because income tax thresholds have been frozen.