Oral Answers to Questions

Geoffrey Robinson Excerpts

Tuesday 6th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hoban]

In our first Budget we were able to reduce corporation tax and set out a clear path to reduce it over the lifetime of this Parliament. We were also able to reverse Labour’s damaging jobs tax.

[Mr Geoffrey Robinson (Coventry North West) (Lab)]

Will the Minister draw to the attention of the Chancellor the fact that economic credibility affects all Treasury Ministers in due course, and that in his case it is affecting him rather earlier than he might have thought? Can he not see that, with a lack of growth, he will not hit his deficit reduction target? Without hitting that target, he will not realise his plan, and without his plan—which is already in shreds—he will lack credibility, too.

[Mr Hoban]

I wonder whether the hon. Gentleman’s remarks about the loss of credibility for Treasury Ministers reflect his own experience.