Manifesto Commitments

Lord Livermore Excerpts

Tuesday 16th June 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord True]

My Lords, I do not carry direct responsibility for that area of policy, but the noble Lord is of course right to say that all lessons from the Covid crisis and experience must be learned; they are being learned and will be applied.

[Lord Livermore (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, to follow on from the question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Young of Cookham, in addition to promising not to

“borrow to fund day-to-day spending”,

the Government’s manifesto promised not to

“raise the rate of income tax, VAT or National Insurance”,

not to increase any taxes on small businesses and to “keep the triple lock” on pensions. Is the Minister able to guarantee that these commitments remain unchanged in light of the Covid-19 pandemic?

[Lord True]

My Lords, I am absolutely delighted that the noble Lord is such an avid reader of the Conservative manifesto; I hope he found it improving reading. I repeat that my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will make a financial statement later this year.