SIR Keir Starmer has refused to rule out a National Insurance hike for employers despite Labour’s manifesto vowing not to do so.
Tory leader Rishi Sunak grilled the PM three times, demanding to know if he would stand by his pledge.
Sir Keir Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions[/caption]
But Sir Keir dodged the questions, leaving the door wide open for a tax raid on employers.
Labour’s manifesto stated that “Labour will not increase taxes on working people, which is why we will not increase National Insurance, the basic, higher, or additional rates of income tax, or VAT” .
In their first exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions after party conferences season, Mr Sunak said: “Can he confirm that when he promised not to raise income tax, National Insurance or VAT that commitment applies to both employer and employee national Insurance contributions?”
Sir Keir replied: “As he well knows I am not going to get drawn on decisions that will be set out [at the Budget].
“We made an absolute commitment in relation to not raising tax on working people.
“He of course was the experts’ expert on raising taxes.”
Asked the same question again, Sir Keir would only go so far as to say that he would stick to the promises made in Labour’s manifesto.
