South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge has called the 45% top income tax rate cut 'unacceptable', calling for a transparent discussion on 'how on earth we pay for our future health and social care costs'. - Credit: Office of James Cartlidge MP
A Suffolk MP has branded the recent 45% income tax cut "unacceptable" and called for "urgent" action on welfare reform.
South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge became the latest Conservative politician to criticise the government's mini-budget when he took to Twitter on Saturday, October 1 and said: "To be clear, cutting tax for top earners whilst reducing benefits in a cost of living crisis is unacceptable.
"Of course, we do need welfare reform – at my South Suffolk selection, asked my top three policy priorities I answered 'welfare, welfare, welfare'.
"I was referring to the fact that the post-war Beveridge settlement, though well motivated, is no longer financially sustainable.
Mr Cartlidge added: "This does mean, for example, that we need to look urgently at how today's benefits system interacts with work, especially with the economically inactive.
"But above all, it means we need a transparent discussion about how on earth we pay for our future health and social care costs.
"But this does NOT mean that, having lost market support for proposed unfunded tax measures, we try to win that support anew with on-the-back-foot, un-pitchrolled cuts to benefits when the cost of food and staples are rocketing, whilst keeping a tax cut for the wealthiest."
Writing in this newspaper, Waveney MP Peter Aldous said the economic fallout from the chancellor's statement had been "painful to watch".
He said he sympathised with the aim of cutting taxes but added that "nothing about the chancellor's opening weeks at the Treasury have reassured me".
Prime minister Liz Truss defended the mini-budget in a BBC interview on Sunday morning.
However, she did admit the decision to remove the 45% rate of income tax was "a decision that the chancellor made" and had not been discussed by the cabinet.
Ms Truss said: "I'm afraid there is an issue that interest rates are going up around the world and we do have to face that.
"But I do want to say to people I understand their worries about what has happened this week.
She added: "I do stand by the package we announced and I stand by the fact we announced it quickly, because we had to act.
"But I do accept we should have laid the ground better... I have learnt from that and I will make sure that in future we do a better job of laying the ground."
Published by the East Anglian Daily Times.
