Sunak and Hunt’s tax rises highlight ‘alternative’ Tory heartlessness

EDITORIAL

FOR Liz Truss, tax cutting and deregulation was the name of the game.

The former Prime Minister, who lasted 44 days in office, was set to turbocharge the UK economy by attempting to push through pseudo-Thatcherism 30 years after it was first tried.

She went too quickly for the global capitalist system to catch its breath, however – even her Chancellor warned her against the sheer speed of shrinking the state – and she quickly departed Downing Street.

The Tory party then turned to the other face of Conservatism championed by Rishi Sunak.

By many it is seen as softer, more centrist – but this Thursday’s Autumn Statement will show why both wings of the party result in pain for the working class.

Today Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced there would be “sacrifices” and “difficult decisions” made about support for households. Tax rises for the working and middle classes, as well as public spending cuts that follow over a decade of austerity, are on the cards.

For all of Sunak’s reputation as a generous Conservative – furlough certainly embellished that – he will oversee a short term in government marked by punishment for the working classes of Britain.

He may say that the state of the economy and the so-called fiscal black hole means these decisions are necessary – but in reality, these are political choices.

Jeremy Hunt is saying we cannot max out the national credit card this morning. This is total nonsense. There is no national credit card. Instead it’s the job of government to make the money we use. And since it can always make that money it can never max out on credit.

— Richard Murphy (@RichardJMurphy) November 13, 2022

Seeking to balance the books over productivity and growth – which can be done through public investment and raising public sector wages – is a choice, not a necessity.

For all her faults, Truss had a clear – if malicious – agenda, and sought to push it through. Sunak and Hunt are aiming to portray their administration as the responsible face of capitalism – and in doing so, will dupe millions into thinking theirs is the only heartless option.

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Featured Image: No 10 @ Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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