Responding to today's budget, John O'Connell, chief executive of
the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: “The only thing this budget is
getting done is net borrowing figures being spun. “While
there were some welcome wins on measures like the freezing of
alcohol and fuel duties, this was basically a Gordon Brown-style
budget of eye-watering bumper borrowing, a higher tax burden and
billions in spending bungs. “With the tax burden already at a
50 year high as a percentage of...Request free trial
Responding to today's budget, John O'Connell, chief executive
of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:
“The only thing this budget is getting done is net borrowing
figures being spun.
“While there were some welcome wins on measures like the freezing
of alcohol and fuel duties, this was basically a Gordon Brown-style
budget of eye-watering bumper borrowing, a higher tax burden and
billions in spending bungs.
“With the tax burden already at a 50 year high as a percentage of
GDP, and the impact of coronavirus yet to be taken into account,
the unfortunate truth is that it’s future taxpayers who will lose
out from being expected to pay for the massive public sector net
borrowing announced today.”
On borrowing being almost doubled by the end of this
parliament, compared to last year’s OBR forecasts, O’Connell
said:
"Compared to last year’s forecasts, the measures announced
today mean that public sector net borrowing will have almost
doubled in four years time. It’ll rise from around £33 billion
to over £60 billion.
"Getting the country’s coffers back to a surplus - once the
ambition of Conservative governments - has never seemed so far
away."
Responding to measures announced to tackle coronavirus,
O’Connell said:
"Coronavirus is a major national concern and it’s good to see
the chancellor give small retailers a business rates lifeline,
along with delaying payments for business taxes and temporary
reforms to sick pay regulations.”
On the rise in the national insurance threshold to £9,500,
O'Connell said:
"National insurance thresholds should match those for income
tax, so it is good to see the point at which Britons have to start
paying this effective second income tax
increased."
On the freezes in fuel and alcohol duty, he
said:
"These duty freezes are key for keeping down the cost of
living, not least given 64 pence in every pound spent at the pump
is already paid in tax. The chancellor is right to keep these
freezes in place.
On the decision to move more civil service jobs out of
London, O'Connell said:
“Rishi is right to heed our calls to move more central
government jobs and offices out of London, not least given that
more than 6 in 10 working class voters firmly agree.
“It’s a good move for taxpayers which will see costs come down and
government become more accessible to people outside the Whitehall
bubble.”
