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Rishi Sunak is a “tax-cutting chancellor"

Andrew Bowie, Sky News

10 July 2022

Facts

Andrew Bowie, a Conservative MP supporting Sunak’s bid in the leadership campaign, said that Sunak was a tax-cutting chancellor This is wrong, as Sunak’s chancellorship saw increases in taxes.

Analysis shows the UK’s current tax burden is the largest since the 1950s. Sunak’s period as chancellor saw many major tax rises. This includes a 1.25% increase on national insurance contributions, and a pledge to raise corporation tax to 25%. The characterisation of Sunak as a tax-cutting chancellor is likely based on the fact that he did cut individual taxes. However, given the overall tax burden is at a decades-high level, to characterise Sunak as a tax-cutting chancellor distorts the overall tax burden and over-emphasises individual tax cuts.

Verdict

Under Sunak’s chancellorship, the overall tax burden in the UK has risen to levels not seen since the post-war period. Individual taxes have been cut, but the overall tax burden has increased. 

We approached Andrew Bowie's office to give him a chance to comment, but received no response.

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