Mordaunt says Tories ‘hated tax hikes’ – as SNP attacks ‘conspiracy of silence’ on Brexit
Moving from migration to ‘working people’ now, as an audience member on the BBC’s Seven Way Debate asks senior party figures who will allow them to work for a living and not just work for a living.
Labour’s Angela Rayner says the country is “at the mercy of global energy prices” and Liz Truss’s mini-budget.
According to him, the public energy company will reduce taxes and create jobs.
Conservative House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt says the economy is “doing a lot better” and “we need to cut taxes”.
Ms Rayner says the government has raised taxes to record levels for 70 years.
“Yes we have and we hated the tax increase,” says Ms Mordaunt.
There is some back-and-forth between Mrs. Mordaunt and Mrs. Rayner, and interruptions, finger-pointing from the first.
The audience laughs at the green candidate’s joke
“So it was terribly dignified, wasn’t it,” says Green Party representative Carla Denier as the dust settles, to laughter from the audience.
He says there is an “inequality crisis” and points out that some have become richer while many have struggled in recent years.
Ms. Denier is calling for a green economy to bring jobs and lower taxes, such as a nationwide insulation program.
He said a minimum wage of £15 was needed and the limit of two child benefits should be removed.
Reform MP Nigel Farage is still calling for immigration to be cut to net zero and tax cuts for middle income earners.
“To hear Penny Mordaunt, whose government has raised the tax burden to the highest in this country since 1948, as if they are on the tax-cutting side, is frankly dishonest on a staggering scale.”
Stephen Flynn, of the SNP, focuses on the wounds inflicted by austerity.
He says there is a “conspiracy of silence” on Brexit and says he has food bills.
“That’s why in this election you have to ignore the snake oil salesman who made Brexit happen,” he says, pointing to Mr Farage.
