Top Civil Servant Caught in Controversy Over Sunak’s £2,000 Tax Claim During TV Debate
The Treasury’s permanent secretary clarified in a letter following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s assertion that Labour would raise taxes by £2,000.
The Conservatives stood by Sunak, who claimed during a recent debate that Labour’s tax plans would increase taxes by £2,000 per household if they were to win the election. The senior civil servant, James Bowler, intervened by writing a letter earlier this week warning against attributing figures used in political campaigns to civil servants.
During the debate watched by five million viewers, Sunak repeatedly mentioned the £2,000 figure, which is based on a document produced by the Conservative government estimating the cost of Labour’s policies. The Tories calculated that Labour’s proposals would cost an additional £38.5 billion over four years, equating to approximately £2,094 for each working household.
While some estimates in the document were conducted by civil servants at the Treasury, using inputs from politically appointed advisers, Bowler stressed that the headline figure should not be credited to civil servants, who are meant to remain impartial. In his letter to Labour’s shadow Treasury chief secretary, Darren Jones, Bowler stated that costs from external sources or organizations should not be misinterpreted as having come from the Civil Service.
Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho reiterated the claim made by Sunak, defending the independence and integrity of the civil servants who worked on the estimates. However, Labour’s shadow paymaster general, Jonathan Ashworth, refuted Sunak’s claims, asserting that Labour has no plans to raise income tax, national insurance, or VAT.
A YouGov snap poll indicated that 51 percent of viewers believed Sunak had won the debate, while a Savanta survey showed Sir Keir ahead by 53 percent to 47 percent, with a majority perceiving him as the more honest leader. The second televised debate will be hosted by the BBC, featuring a lineup of party leaders, followed by more debates on ITV and a final head-to-head debate between Sunak and Sir Keir on the BBC.
PA Media contributed to this report.
