Strange times – Ed Davey at his main conference speech has promised to raise the tax-free personal allowance to £15,000. Deja vu?
Raising the threshold from £12,570 to £15,000 is Jenrick’s flagship policy announced at party conference. Though Davey says it will be funded by “growth” from a “bold new partnership with Europe.” Talk about not having the figures straight…
Davey also promised to raise the higher rate to £56,000. Jenrick said:
“Sir Ed is welcome to steal our policies, but his plan to pay for it is almost as silly as his photo stunts. At this rate, the Lib Dems’ fantasy economics would make Liz Truss blush.
The socks-and-sandals brigade would have to make the same choices we will: Cut the benefits bill, end net zero handouts, and slash foreign aid. But they refuse because they are incapable of putting the British people first.”
Now that would be a fun coalition…
Krishnan Guru-Murthy asked John Healey: “Just finally, I mean Andy Burnham has been very clear he wants Britain back in the European Union in his lifetime. Do you?”
The Chancellor replied: “I’m older than Andy Burnham. I don’t expect to see that.”