Cabinet not united: Minister Kit Malthouse breaks ranks and calls on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to cut taxes
The government’s Minister of State for Crime and Policing Kit Malthouse has called on the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to cut taxes as soon as possible.
The Chancellor should roll out plans to reduce taxes to tackle the cost of living crisis, Malthouse said during an interview on TalkTV.
“The Chancellor has already signalled his desire to reduce taxes. I sincerely hope he’ll be doing it shortly,” he said.
“I mean, look, we are facing unprecedented economic challenges. I know that he and the Prime Minister in constant communication about what steps we need to take to both boost growth, but help people in their day to day lives. And I think you’ll find out soon enough what their plans are,” he said on the News Desk program.
Pressed on what taxes the Chancellor will cut Malthouse said: “That’s above my paygrade.”
“My job is to fight crime and get that number down, which I’m doing more or less successfully. I wouldn’t dream of teaching the Chancellor how to do his job,” Malthouse added.
“Although obviously I contribute to discussions elsewhere in government, but you’ll have to wait and see he’s in charge of economic policy not me.”
Malthouse also said that “I don’t discuss publicly what we say in cabinet that is a private meeting.”
“But you know, we all came in to conservative politics into the party to reduce the burden of the state on individuals leave as much money in people’s pockets as they can so they can make choices for themselves about their own lives.”
He continued by saying that “I know the Chancellor shares the aspiration, we’re dealing with the aftermath of a pandemic. But as he signalled last time, he said at the despatch box. He urgently wants to cut tax.”
Starmer probe
Following the police opening an investigation into Keir Starmer breaking Covid laws Malthouse hinted that the Labour leader should “take his own advice” and resign.
“And as far as Keir Starmer goes, you know, it’s up to him what he does, he’s obviously made statements in public about what he thinks other people shouldn’t be doing is very free with his advice. I would imagine you want to take his own advice?”