Liz Truss has rejected helping everyone with rocketing winter energy bills and is mulling further tax cuts instead if she reaches No 10, her allies say.
The Tory leadership favourite is under intense pressure to end her silence on what support she will provide for the cost of living emergency – but revealed several options are still on the table.
They include a 5 per cent VAT cut and reversing the decision to freeze income tax thresholds until 2026, which will drag millions more people into paying higher tax.
The Truss camp did not dispute a BBC report that she has “ruled out” help for every Briton, regardless of wealth, the policy favoured by her rival Rishi Sunak.
Despite the foreign secretary being on course to become prime minister in just nine days’ time, “no decisions have been made” about other options still on the table.
Ms Truss could opt to simply give more support to the poorest, through higher benefits, or exclude the richest from across-the-board help – as a key ally has hinted previously.
The chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, a Truss backer, has warned even people earning £45,000 – 50 per cent more than the average wage – will need significant help within weeks.
Jake Berry, the chair of the Northern Research Group of Tory MPs, who is also supporting Ms Truss, said the next prime minister should be “rapidly coming up with solutions”.
“This is probably the greatest crisis of my political career. And nothing in terms of the government supporting families in this country and businesses should be off the table,” he told Times Radio.
more follows
