Keir Starmer will today demand Brits face up to ‘harsh reality’ ahead of looming tax hikes in the Budget.
The PM is using a speech this morning to lay the ground for Chancellor Rachel Reeves‘ extraordinary £35billion a year raid on Wednesday.
He will appeal for voters to give Labour time despite the brutal assault on their pockets, insisting there has to be a ‘credible long-term plan’ to rebuild public services.
But critics have dismissed claims from ministers that ordinary ‘working people’ will not see the impact in payslips, because most of the pain will be initially targeted at businesses and the wealthier.
A major increase to employers’ national insurance contributions looks set to be the centrepiece of the big post-election package.
There are also expected to be attacks on inheritance tax, capital gains and pension pots.
In his speech in the West Midlands this morning, Sir Keir will say: “We have to be realistic about where we are as a country. This is not 1997, when the economy was decent but public services were on their knees.
“And it’s not 2010, where public services were strong, but the public finances were weak. These are unprecedented circumstances.
“And that’s before we even get to the long-term challenges ignored for 14 years: an economy riddled with weakness on productivity and investment, a state that needs urgent modernisation to face down the challenge of a volatile world.”
The PM will deny he is using the UK’s problems as “an excuse”, despite repeatedly putting the blame on the Tories.
“Politics is always a choice. It’s time to choose a clear path, and embrace the harsh light of fiscal reality so we can come together behind a credible, long-term plan,’ he will say.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden told Times Radio that the Government ‘levelled with people’ before the Budget.
‘There’s no point in telling people everything’s absolutely fine when the prison system is in a state of collapse, when NHS waiting lists are at a record high, when we’ve got crumbling schools,’ he said.
‘There’s so much that’s wrong that we’ve got to fix and it’s important to set that out honestly and candidly for the public.’
He added: ‘I think we’ll have the most honest Budget on Wednesday that we’ve had for some years.’