Britain’s opposition Labor Party opened its annual conference in Liverpool, in the north of the country, on Sunday, with leaders of the New Conservative Party attacking “immoral” tax cuts.
The meeting began two days after the new government, led by new Prime Minister Liz Truss, announced a series of tax cuts to try to stimulate the economy, including cutting the income tax (IRS) and eliminating the top bracket, from the 45%, where the richest taxpayers pay 40 percent. Only %, while the bottom bracket drops from 20% to 19%.
Labor singled out this tax cut as a critical issue for the British, who are grappling with the worst rise in the cost of living in decades.
Labor leader Keir Starmer told his supporters that the Conservative Party had “shown its true colors” by providing tax breaks to high-income earners.
“They make the rich richer and do nothing for the workers,” he said upon arriving at the conference.
Andy Burnham, “mayor” of Manchester, one of the UK’s largest cities, called this conservative policy “immoral”.
Labor suffered a crushing defeat in the last general election, in 2019, under the leadership of former leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and aims at this conference to reposition itself as a credible alternative to the government.
At the opening of the convention, Labor observed a minute of silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem – the first time it had been sung at a party convention, with many members supporting the abolition of the monarchy.
Starmer said there is currently “belief in a Labor government” among voters dealing with higher energy bills, which has helped drive inflation to 9.9%, while workers are receiving only modest wage increases.
He promised to scrap income tax cuts for the richest Britons and introduce an unexpected tax for energy producers.
The Labor leader also said his government would invest in green energy to speed up the transition from fossil fuels.
Labor deputy leader Angela Rayner, who chaired keynote speakers on the first day of the conference, accused the government of “stocking up in the pockets of oil and gas executives, and enriching bankers while families starve”.
Truss’ government rejected an unexpected tax and preferred to subsidize energy bills for consumers and businesses.
These benefits are expected to cost taxpayers more than 150 billion pounds (170 billion euros).
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