Commons Chamber

Wednesday 3rd September 2025

(began 2 hours, 16 minutes ago)

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None Portrait Q4. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve the quality of maternity care for women. (905465)
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highlights as well as others would not be worth it salt. What I commit to is to continue to work with DSIT to is to continue to work with DSIT
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Keir Starmer Portrait Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer MP, The Prime Minister (Holborn and St Pancras, Labour)
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there is a crisis brewing for the whole country. When was the last time the cost of government borrowing was so high?

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I join her in her comments on Mr Warburton. I think the Whole House Warburton. I think the Whole House would unite on an issue such as would unite on an issue such as that. In relation to the deputy Prime Minister, she explained her personal circumstances in detail. She has gone over and above in setting out the details, including setting out the details, including yesterday afternoon, asking the yesterday afternoon, asking the court to lift the confidentiality order in relation to her own son.

I know from speaking at length to the Deputy Prime Minister how difficult Deputy Prime Minister how difficult that decision was for herself and her family. She did it to ensure all information is in the public domain. She has referred herself to the She has referred herself to the independent adviser. That is the right thing to do. But I'm proud to sit alongside a Deputy Prime sit alongside a Deputy Prime Minister who is building 1.5 million homes, the biggest upgrade to workers rights in a generation and workers rights in a generation and has come from a working-class background to be Deputy Prime background to be Deputy Prime Minister of this country.

On the question of borrowing costs, they have risen across the world, as the Leader of the Opposition knows, we Leader of the Opposition knows, we are driving them down by getting debt down. That is hardwired into our fiscal rules, those fiscal rules are nonnegotiable. But I am not going to take lectures on the economy from the party opposite who crashed the economy, mortgages went through the roof and there was a record fall in living standards. record fall in living standards.
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Laura Trott Portrait Rt Hon Laura Trott MP (Sevenoaks, Conservative)
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I am grateful. I beg to move that leave be given to bring a bill to require travel assistance issued by the secretary of state and other persons to include guidance about the risks of methanol and connector purposes. I have been working closely on this issue on behalf of one of my constituents who, alongside her family, Sue, Neil, Tom and Amanda, have been fighting to raise awareness of the dangers of methanol the abroad following the tragic death of -- methanol poisoning abroad following the tragic death of Simon White.

She was following with her friend Bethany in Laos, they were staying in a riverside town about two miles north of the capital, a hub for backpackers travelling across Southeast Asia. It was here that she and her friend consumed shots of alcohol offered at the hostel, the next day, both were unwell but carried on with plans. Hours later, after boarding a bus to the next destination, things worsened, Bethany ended, Simone vomited. They were taken to a local hospital but doctors had no idea what was wrong.

Initially suspected food poisoning. Still confused and deteriorating, the girls made it to a private hospital. I cannot imagine how frightened and confused they must have been at this point. Sadly, by then, it was too late for Simone. She started having seizures during dialysis and was taken for emergency brain surgery. The surgery relieved the pressure but caused bleeding and the other side of her brain started to swell. The results confirming methanol were not available until methanol were not available until two weeks later, by then, Simone has sadly already passed away.

While Bethany did recover following hospitalisation, six of the young people fell victim to suspected methanol having drunk at the same hospital. Two young Australians, two young Danish women, an American all lost their lives. As the Australian Prime Minister said in November, this is every parent's worst nightmare. My heart goes out to all of the families who lost loved ones Tragic circumstances. Over the last year, I have learned so much about Simone, he was a much loved young woman.

She had a brilliant life ahead of her and it was clear from when I had handed her funeral that she was deeply loved by her friends and family. A year ago, like so many others here, I did not know much about methanol, yet over 1,000 people die from it every single year worldwide. This is such a huge danger that barely any others know about it. I also went backpacking after university but never knew about the dangers. Sadly, the same is true of so many of our young people.

This must change.. For members less aware than we should be, methanol is tasteless and is only a faint smell, making it impossible to tell if a drink has been contaminated. When consumed, it can lead to a coma, convulsions, blindness, nervous system damage and death. medical specialists say that drinking as little as 25 millilitres of methanol can be fatal, but it is sometimes added to drinks because it is cheaper than alcohol. Since the loss, Simone's family have campaigned tirelessly to prevent similar tragedies affecting other families.

Alongside Simone's friend, Bethany, they were raising awareness of the dangers of methanol and it was our honour earlier this year to help arrange a parliamentary drop-in session on the subject, alongside the Member for Torbay and turn and the Member for Dartford. The family were joined by representatives from the family -- travel industry, the British toxicology Society and the FCDO to educate MPs and the message was clear. Awareness saves lives. But only when government guidance is accurate, clear and consistent. Sadly, current official travel advice is falling short.

In some high-risk countries there is very little warning at all. What advice does exist, it is vague. Travellers are told that certain drinks might carry a risk or they should exercise caution. This is not a matter of caution. This is about a lethal and preventable danger. I appreciate that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has updated the section for travel advice on its website that we must do more to make the warnings clearer and more explicit so the information is more explicit so the information is more readily available to everyone.

The government's travel aware website has an informative section on methanol that more must be done to make the advice and guidance better known to young people before they travel. As things stand, you have to search for it to find it. My bill, supported by the members from Indian, Dartford, Cheadle and Lewisham, proposes a straightforward solution, it does not attempt to police alcohol sales abroad, does not require costly programs or enforcement, it requires the government to provide prominent, clear and consistent guidance about methanol poisoning for countries where the risk is known to exist.

Other governments have taken steps to warn their citizens, Australia's Smart Traveller service provides unambiguous, practical advice and reaches young travellers through We should do no less and must not be left behind. Families like Simone's are not asking for the impossible but asking for honesty, clarity, guidance that is actionable, so that other families do not suffer the same loss. We have already shown the collaboration between families, experts, and authorities, does raise awareness. It is time to put that into action.

The Minister is well aware of Simone's story. We have kindly hosted by the Foreign Office with the honourable member and the family earlier this year and I thank them for their engagement to date and look forward to working with them because I know that they understand there is a lot at stake. As Simone's mother said, "If it can happen to someone, it can happen to anyone." Let's start today the process of preventing further

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tragedies. I commend this bill to the House. The question is the right

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The question is the right honourable member have leave to bring in the bill. As many as of bring in the bill. As many as of that opinion, say, "Aye." To the contrary, say, "No." The ayes have contrary, say, "No." The ayes have it. We will commend the bill to the house?

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Vicky Foxcroft and myself.

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Vicky Foxcroft and myself.

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Methanol Poisoning Methanol Poisoning (Travel

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Methanol Poisoning (Travel Advice) Bill. Second Reading, 29th Advice) Bill. Second Reading, 29th of May, 2026. We Now Come to the of May, 2026. We Now Come to the Opposition Motion in the Name of the
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Mel Stride Portrait Rt Hon Sir Mel Stride MP (Central Devon, Conservative)
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as a result of the reckless immigration policies. She was also working on her property empire but there were some nagging doubts as to whether she had indeed paid enough stamp duty. We will get to that. Those who could not avoid paying the tax imposed by this government are the businesses up and down the country, many of whom I took the time during recess two visit. In the leisure sector alone, some 80,000 jobs have been destroyed by national insurance, particularly affecting those taking their first job, jungle workers, part-time workers, female workers.

-- Younger workers. Jobs being destroyed. While the deputy Prime Minister was lounging on her boat with her wine, the government was all at sea, like a cork bobbing on the tide with no control over the events around them. When it came to the economy, while eclipsed by the calamity of illegal migration, we saw the panicked recent reshuffle of the Treasury front bench. At this point, I would like to offer my congratulations to warmly welcome the honourable member to his new role but to tell him that he is joining a sinking ship, one of which the captain has just had all of authority strip from her and all of his comrades, down below deck, are trying to bail out the situation.

I would like to offer a fond farewell to the former Chief Secretary To The Treasury who no doubt thought it was very clever when he left off this sinking ship but he will not feel so property finds the place he has been sent to is even more dysfunctional on the Treasury front bench. Over the summer, among all the news about arrivals to our shores, we have the cruel summer of speculation around tax. We have seen in the skies clouds of kites, flown largely by the Treasury, as to what taxes they will put up and it has been tax, tax, tax.

I remind him of the Beatles and 'The Taxman', "If You Take a Walk, I Will Tax Your Feet." When it comes to tax, it is not so much 'Good Day', but 'Help'. I Was Going to Try 'Penny Lane' but I drew the line at that. It is worth examining how we got to this point because reckoning our for the country is surely coming and this will be a story for all. I will give way momentarily.

It started with broken promises. During the run-up to the general election, this party said they had no intention of raising taxes left, right, and centre, but they did precisely that within a month or two, with devastating consequences. Tax rises on businesses that stifled growth and a detox tone the economy by -- that stifled growth and they talked down the economy and the agony that they brought in the OBR to decide whether the black hole of £22 billion existed and the OBR said that they could not legitimise the claim.

They were wrong. What happened with spending and borrowing? What completely out of control and the combination of passing on price rises because of National Insurance increases and the extra borrowing and spending has led to higher inflation. We are an outlier when it comes to inflation. In turn, that has seen interest rates higher for longer and the servicing costs on national debt running at over £100 million a year, that being over twice what we spend

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on Defence. I will give way. I thank my honourable friend for

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I thank my honourable friend for giving way. Would he agree with me that this loss of market confidence that this loss of market confidence demands decisive action from the government at the Budget to correct government at the Budget to correct it? And, that the decisive action cannot solely be taken on the tax cannot solely be taken on the tax side because that is what has driven side because that is what has driven us into this loop. We need decisive action on spending and particularly welfare if we are to see restoration of market confidence and get ourselves out of this rut.



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ourselves out of this rut. As ever, my right honourable friend is right and you see it in friend is right and you see it in the bond yields that the markets have no confidence in the ability of the government to get on top of the government to get on top of spending. We saw the farce of a government that came into office, government that came into office, scrapping the £5 billion worth of welfare savings that were baked into welfare savings that were baked into the OBR scorecard because we put them in and they attempted to bring in their own reforms which were in their own reforms which were voted down by their own backbenchers.

The government does not have the will nor the plan to deal with spending. This is where my right honourable friend is so right, it is at the heart of the reason why we will be polished and pay the price of more taxes come the Budget in November. -- We will all be polished.

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I commend the shadow minister for

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I commend the shadow minister for bringing this forward and we should bringing this forward and we should all share the concern that the government is considering further attacks on property despite the fact attacks on property despite the fact the Prime Minister committed to not increase in capital gains tax in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Last year, it was the emergency tax and this year it is those who own property and those who have scrimped and saved to own their houses and the middle class who have now become the middle class who have now become the latest target of Labour tax

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policy. He is entirely right, of course. If you get into a situation where you are scrambling around and you are scrambling around and looking at policy for property tax, then really nothing is safe from the taxman under this government.

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taxman under this government. I thank him for giving way and I gently remind him that since this government came into power, interest government came into power, interest rates have been cut five times which is a vote of confidence that the Chancellor, fixing the condition of the economy and saving an average family in my constituency over £100 a month. Can't see remind me what happened to interest rates when his party was in power? -- Can he.

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Interest rates can bring down inflation and while she is right, there should have been more reductions and the reason is that reductions and the reason is that this government has stoked inflation. It is still rising and is inflation. It is still rising and is at twice the level or thereabouts that it was on the day of the last general election and when a general election and when a government stalks inflation, GPD price with higher interest rates. -- price with higher interest rates.

-- stokes. That is what has been happening.

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happening. He is right to highlight the impact of the massive tax increases on many families and businesses on many families and businesses across the country. Can he comment on how we can have a Deputy Prime Minister in government who has Minister in government who has admitted paying the tax that she owed and continues in office and people are paying the price for people are paying the price for lesser offences than that. Does this not expose the rank hypocrisy that runs through the government?

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If the right honourable lady wants to make laws, she should live by them. That message will go out to businesses and families across the country. There is no way that they can avoid the juggernaut of taxes coming down the track.

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In return for his generosity, I will say something pleasant about the last Conservative government. Wait for it... Just one thing. The Wait for it... Just one thing. The last government allowed councils last government allowed councils like my local constituency which is run by the Liberal Democrats to run by the Liberal Democrats to double some tax and that is correct because some committees are being because some committees are being annihilated. But can I acknowledge that the party should do much more that the party should do much more than that and that should be built into the planning review so that into the planning review so that national parks and councils can manage numbers and improve communities?

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communities? I thank him for his intervention and the kind words about the Conservative party which I am sure our very genuine. I would say that what the deputy prime minister what the deputy prime minister should be doing is delivering more should be doing is delivering more and it is clear that these will be delivered at the rate of 300,000 a year but that claim is not going to be met and I would be happy in the future to look at this but I suspect I will not get the chance.

Where we have ended up as a situation where we have a huge black hole living. The National Institute for Economics and Social Research estimates that as possibly £40 billion. This is a recurrent theme with the economic mismanagement of the party opposite and the October Budget, the first Budget that was £10 million out, that was blown by the time of the Spring Statement, the emergency Budget in the spring. Once again, it appears even that and considerably more has been blown all over again.

That is no surprise when it came to the U-turn on winter fuel payments, on welfare reforms that we have already discussed in this debate. That led to unfunded commitments of around £6 billion, but the Chancellor said the Labour Party would never find themselves in the situation. It has not happened. What signal does it send to the markets that the government cannot control spending? In the long term, it remains to be seen for what it will be our class to say about the forecast for -- remains to be seen what the OBR has to say about the bonds and we have seen this hitting 27-year high and we are paying more on borrowing than Greece.

There is a potential debt crisis looming and the country could be on the brink

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This government inherited higher bond yields, right now bond yields are going up in Germany, Japan and the United States.

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They stayed up under the last government, there was a need to support the economy and that involved the expenditure of £400 million, not least on the furlough million, not least on the furlough scheme, which, I do not remember his party at the time saying we should not do that. They were arguing we should go still further than that. should go still further than that. In and saved jobs and saved us going into the mass unemployment many into the mass unemployment many feared, worse even than the 19 and I take pride in that.

But we are where we are now and what this government should be doing is growing the should be doing is growing the economy, stoking up business sentiment, getting taxes down and getting the economy moving. And it

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is doing precisely the opposite. I am grateful to the shadow Secretary of State for giving way. Secretary of State for giving way. Isn't there a difference that we are seeing stagflation, high inflation seeing stagflation, high inflation and the economy not going in the way it should be. Therefore we are getting the job losses we are seeing and unemployment going up every month under this Labour government. Unless the government does something drastically different, this is only going to get worse rather than get better, which impacts growth prospects and our prosperity, not only of our nation but the individuals who work and try to thrive here.



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Is right, we are seeing high inflation, we are seeing anaemic inflation, we are seeing anaemic inflation, we are seeing anaemic growth, we are seeing the pound plummeting in recent times. All of those are signals on the dashboard that are flashing red. Instead of getting a grip on spending and getting a grip on spending and getting taxes down, this government has been out their pitch rolling yet more taxes. Over the summer we have seen their briefings into the press of suggested tax rises on property.

The party opposite has an opportunity this afternoon to rule opportunity this afternoon to rule those possibilities out and we should look to the Minister when he should look to the Minister when he responds to do just that. There has responds to do just that. There has been a suggestion that there will be changes to private residents leave changes to private residents leave under the capital gain system -- under the capital gain system -- relief. People being penalised for selling up and moving home.

It would selling up and moving home. It would have clear implications of bringing up the property market, it would have clear and economic implications for causing friction in the process of people moving from one part of the country and the others, often in search of work. It would mean that where downsizing will be beneficial in providing more homes for people to live in, it would discourage that. The Prime Minister, before the election, said there never was a This type, so it does not need running out.

So let's rule it out in case anyone pretends that there was. Perhaps I could ask the Minister to confirm he still stands by the words of the Prime Minister? Secondly, an annual tax on homes, what a tax on aspiration, a tax on those people who have saved hard and managed to get onto the property ladder and then stop with annual taxes, what about those asset rich but income poor and cannot afford to pay and are expected to sell up? Will the Minister rule out that possibility and keep people's minds at rest? We hear also that it may be that we will be looking at changes to the gifting regime within inheritance tax.

They are not content to pulverise the farmers, they are not content to pulverise the family businesses, seeing those businesses and farms broken up when they are passed on from one generation to another because of the imposition of tax, something that it was the Labour government in the 1970s that brought in the reliefs this government has now chosen to abolish. I will give way in a second. Inheritance tax will double in its yield over this Parliament. And we say enough is enough on the side of the House.

We should not be punishing parents who wish to pass something on to their children. Socialists do not understand. We do not all understand as individuals, we work together as families and communities, we care about each other, we care about the people we love and it is right we have the opportunity to pass something on to

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them. I thank the shadow, it is such an important issue, properties and important issue, properties and assets are vital to people in the country, but specifically on the lifetime limit for inheritance tax lifetime limit for inheritance tax passing on, everyone will have heard the government telling farmers and family businesses they need to get family businesses they need to get their affairs in order and they need to plan, not having a limit on the lifetime cap is what allows them to lifetime cap is what allows them to plan.

If that is cut, that negates every argument the government has had in the last year as to why they had in the last year as to why they think they can justify the family farm and family business tax. In responding, can the Minister acknowledge this and rule out any

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acknowledge this and rule out any change to that cap that would penalised these family farms and family businesses? The honourable lady has put it

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The honourable lady has put it brilliantly. She is absolutely right. In their horror, in their recoil as some of the inheritance recoil as some of the inheritance tax changes, that is exactly what farmers and family business owners have been doing, thinking about the alternatives and the seven year rule alternatives and the seven year rule has been one of those alternatives and it would be really artless and extraordinarily cruel if this extraordinarily cruel if this government were now to shut that

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down as well. I am grateful to my right

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I am grateful to my right honourable friend and he is explaining the situation in his usual, powerful way. If this seems likely that this government does likely that this government does impose capital gains tax on persons principle private residence, will he then, as mitigation, consider then, as mitigation, consider whether there should be indexation allowance at least to provide some relief to the horror I fear is about to be inflicted on my constituents, my right honourable friend will remember that the Conservative government abolished that relief on government abolished that relief on property.

At least it would take the property. At least it would take the edge of the imposition of taxes on

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edge of the imposition of taxes on the sale of people's principle private residence. Visitors point in the usual

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Visitors point in the usual eloquent manner. That is a question for the Minister, perhaps when he rises he can rule out our concerns in their entirety. But in the event he cannot, perhaps he would choose to answer the inquiry. Is it not the case that there is a clear misunderstanding from the party opposite because they have no business experience, there is no business experience in the government when it comes to setting up properties, understanding the meaning of business taxes, it is simply not there.

Labour will be talking about taxing wealth, if you tax wealth, you will get less of it. It is estimated around 15,000 high net worth individuals have left our country under the period this government has been in power. The consequence of that is that the tax that have walked out of the door will require around one third to half a million people on average earnings to make up the difference. It is not a case of good riddance to wealth, it is a case of we should, as this party will, be the party that encourages and turbochargers it

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at every turn. I'm sure Hansard will correct me.

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I'm sure Hansard will correct me. My honourable friend made some comments around high net worth, comments around high net worth, high-value individuals. Particularly in my constituency individuals on low incomes, representing Peterborough with one of the highest levels of zero hours and chronically insecure work. Does he not agree insecure work. Does he not agree that his party often once all of the spending but none of the delivery for the funding to do that? He talked about reducing taxation on talked about reducing taxation on some of the higher net worth, can he some of the higher net worth, can he talk about which doctors surgeries in my constituency would receive cuts under his plans? Which individuals would receive protection from employment rights and how the from employment rights and how the people of Peterborough would be worse off, unless he wants to reduce the spending that would fix the foundations of this country?

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foundations of this country? He refers to spending and cutting

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He refers to spending and cutting spending. His party attempted to cut spending and entirely failed to do so. My point is, if he wants money so. My point is, if he wants money to spend on public services, he does need, he should worry about cutting need, he should worry about cutting welfare. I do not know how he voted when it came to putting that to the test in this House, but if he in anyway voted against his own government and getting on top of the welfare bill, he should ask his question of himself.

When it comes to those on low incomes, they are precisely the people who are being devastated now by the National Insurance increase. Because what we know is it is not just an increase in the rate, it is a reduction at the threshold that national insurance now kicks in. That means higher unemployment, particularly amongst younger workers, part-time workers, women, people getting vital first job so they can get themselves on a career path. They are the people that his government are publishing most.

I give way.

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Iron grateful to him for giving way. Isn't this the point, one percent income tax is paid for by... percent income tax is paid for by... One percent of the top earners pay One percent of the top earners pay most 30 percent of income tax. If we lose those people, we damage the very people who need that support and the investment from the very and the investment from the very taxpayers we just scared off. Should taxpayers we just scared off.

Should the reverse beat happening? We attract more people into this

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attract more people into this country to spend more money to have more money for those services through tax cuts? Is absolutely right. I already

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Is absolutely right. I already shared with the House that classic example of the number of people who example of the number of people who have left this country because of a

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have left this country because of a punitive tax regime and the cost. I will give way. Further to my honourable friend's excellent point, the party opposite denigrates wealthy individuals that denigrates wealthy individuals that choose to come to this country, it is not just the tax they provide but the jobs and opportunities they create by investing in create by investing in constituencies up and down the country. This country has prospered for hundreds of years by being open for hundreds of years by being open and welcoming to inward investment.

If we lose that, we lose a key plank of the competitiveness and growth we

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associated with our economy. We live in a highly mobile world,

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We live in a highly mobile world, it is quite easy for people with substantial wealth or money to invest to go anywhere in the world. We have to remain competitive. But We have to remain competitive. But this government is making a mess, this government is making a mess, she mentions unemployment, should we have expected more from this have expected more from this government? Not really. Every Labour government left unemployment higher government left unemployment higher when they left office than when they when they left office than when they came into office.

What we see on unemployment? Since the government has been in office it has increased every single month since they have

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every single month since they have been in power. I give way to the honourable lady. He has spent his last five minutes circling around figures gathered by a consultancy that aids gathered by a consultancy that aids the super wealthy to migrate from this country. Where is the Conservative party getting its Conservative party getting its economic ideas from? It speaks volumes he has spent so much at this volumes he has spent so much at this point speaking for the 15,000 high net worth individuals served by that consultancy, what will the Conservative party do to grow the Conservative party do to grow the economy for the benefit of all economy for the benefit of all

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The honourable lady asks where we are getting ideas from - we are not getting them from those now sitting getting them from those now sitting on the Treasury front bench or in on the Treasury front bench or in places around Number 10 and to talk regularly about taxing wealth, regularly about taxing wealth, property, shares, assets of any kind they can think of. That is the road they can think of. That is the road to ruin. She asks about where we get our ideas, I got mine in the 1980s, setting up my own business from nothing, it from scratch, to get to nothing, it from scratch, to get to America, drawing a business there.

-- Taking it to America and growing my business there and I speak to the people who start businesses and they people who start businesses and they are the people that understand what has to be done on the tax front and the people that have to live with the people that have to live with the red tape that they are party is bringing in -- red tape that her

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bringing in -- red tape that her party is bringing to tie them down. He has talked at great length

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He has talked at great length about taxing the wealthy and has admitted one suggestion that has admitted one suggestion that has come forth over the summer, getting rid of the punitive council tax system, that puts attacks on poverty and deprivation and the former leader of the council famously leader of the council famously cheers when he put up council tax on deprived people in Hartlepool and now he has defected to the four and

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Reform. We do not want reform and change

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We do not want reform and change to be static but when it comes to the level of council tax to which the honourable gentleman referrals, if you take the average amount, it is demonstrably higher than the equivalent taxes in conservative equivalent taxes in conservative areas and that comes down to the approach that the Conservative approach that the Conservative Council takes to spending and making Council takes to spending and making sure things are run fairly and it is the opposite of the approach of the party opposite.



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party opposite. One suggestion the government had earlier this year was from a Conservative county council to suggested increasing council tax and that was blocked by the government that was blocked by the government and Secretary of State. Will you join me in condemning the proposal join me in condemning the proposal

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join me in condemning the proposal to increase council tax by 15%? I will not get into specifics in

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I will not get into specifics in his area. Why would I be expected to comment on something of that nature comment on something of that nature in his constituency? My general point stands that it is a simple fact that Labour -controlled local authorities charge more for our councils.

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Can I just say that you cannot just stand up like that.

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just stand up like that. In fact, that is not a fact and,

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In fact, that is not a fact and, in my vision, the reality is that Milton Keynes, the local authority Milton Keynes, the local authority run by Labour, has lower tax than all surrounding Tory authorities all surrounding Tory authorities including Northamptonshire, which has failed again and again and two has failed again and again and two macro -- reform-run councils, two macro -- reform-run councils, two and the Labour-run councils are doing better than those run by the Conservatives.

Even if the assertion

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was true, it does not contradict the point that I made. It was this Prime Minister who

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It was this Prime Minister who said, "Not a penny more on council said, "Not a penny more on council tax." Is the Shadow Chancellor aware

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of how that worked? Badly. Returning to the previous point,

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Returning to the previous point, this whole debate is premised on media speculation and asking for comment on a proposal made to the comment on a proposal made to the government to increase council tax government to increase council tax by 15% by a county council run by the Conservatives. He asked us to comment on media speculation but comment on media speculation but

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will not comment on a proposal. I have been clear and I must make progress because I have been progress because I have been generous on interventions. With council tax, it's a fact that councils controlled by the Conservative party charge less and that is because the whole approach that is because the whole approach to running the council, our approach the economy, is to make sure it is done efficiently and we do not done efficiently and we do not impose undue burdens on people with unnecessary tax.

We were told in the first budget by the Chancellor in first budget by the Chancellor in the autumn that the tax hikes were a the autumn that the tax hikes were a once-N-R-Parliament event. It is a The uncertainty that has flowed from the disaster situation has caused issues with property transition, choices, and on some of the freedoms that as citizens we often take for granted. That is because of the choices of Labour. The party opposite will desperately dismiss all of this as press speculation and I expect to hear that from the Minister in a moment is it not the truth that this sorry tale is entirely of their own making and the inevitable result of their choices and the failure that has followed, with much of the speculation seeming to be fuelled by briefings from within government itself? This House and the public deserve answers.

The Chancellor cannot borrow more and has shown no ability to control spending. That can only leave tax. spending. That can only leave tax. Which taxes will it be? Are family Which taxes will it be? Are family home safe? If we vote for the simple measure, it is clear, under this government, nothing is safe, not your home, pension, savings, business, farm, that which you simply wish to pass on to you until. The message to hard-working people across the country could not be more clear - Labour will always dock hard choices and will tax the living daylights out of the future of your family to pay for their failure.

family to pay for their failure.
13:23
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