What's happened
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Spring Budget announcement of a 2p cut in National Insurance fails to impress voters, with many expressing disappointment and Labour leader Keir Starmer criticizing the move as a 'Tory tax con'.
Why it matters
The Budget announcement by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and subsequent reactions from voters and opposition leader Keir Starmer highlight the challenges faced by the Conservative Party in winning over voters and improving public perception ahead of the upcoming general election.
What the papers say
The Guardian emphasizes the lack of enthusiasm among voters in Stroud for the Budget, with concerns over living standards. The Scotsman and The Independent both highlight criticisms from experts about the Budget's impact on the economy and public services, questioning the effectiveness of the tax cuts. Sky News reports on the mixed reception from Tory voters, indicating that the Budget may not have the desired impact on voter support.
How we got here
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Budget announcement included a 2p cut in National Insurance, aimed at providing tax relief to workers. However, the reception to the Budget has been mixed, with concerns raised about its effectiveness in improving living standards and addressing broader economic challenges. The Budget comes at a crucial time for the Conservative Party, as they seek to regain support ahead of the upcoming general election.
More on these topics
-
Jeremy Richard Streynsham Hunt is a British politician serving as Member of Parliament for South West Surrey since 2005. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet from 2010 to 2019, most recently as Foreign Secretary from 2018 to 2019.
-
The Conservative Party, officially the Conservative and Unionist Party, and also known colloquially as the Tories, Tory Party, or simply the Conservatives, is a political party in the United Kingdom.
-
Sir John Kevin Curtice FRSA FRSE FBA is a British political scientist who is currently Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde and Senior Research Fellow at the National Centre for Social Research.
-
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the northÂwestern coast of the European mainland.
-
The National Health Service is the publicly funded healthcare system in England, and one of the four National Health Service systems in the United Kingdom.
-
Sir Keir Rodney Starmer KCB QC MP is a British politician and former lawyer who has served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition since 2020. He has been Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras since 2015.
-
A budget is a financial plan for a defined period, often one year. It may also include planned sales volumes and revenues, resource quantities, costs and expenses, assets, liabilities and cash flows.
-
Rishi Sunak is a British politician who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party since 2022.