Former Chancellor says he also wanted to reduce stamp duty and set upelectric car charging network
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Sajid Javid has said an income tax cut and a network of electric car-charging stations were in the budget he would have delivered, had he remained chancellor.
Javid told the Times he wanted to cut the basic rate from (p to) p from April and had plans to reduce the basic rate to (p from) . He resigned during Boris Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle after refusing to replace his advisers with No ‘s picks.
His successor, Rishi Sunak, is preparing to deliver his first budget on March.
“I passionately believe that where you can afford it tax cuts are a good thing and now that we have a majority, we should be much more aggressive on the tax cuts for the long term… and go much further further than our manifesto, ”Javid said.
He did not know if Sunak was planning to deliver the income tax cut but recommended it be done for the sake of “working people”.
Javid had also planned to reduce stamp duty, offer tax relief for those who offered capital for a “radical” tax-cutting program, and had proposed a network of fast-charging stations for electric vehicles.
The interview came after Javid said Johnson’s move to determine greater control over the Treasury was not in the national interest. The former chancellor used a personal statement in the Commons to spell out
He told the Times: “Even if I had entertained the idea for a second I would be absolutely humiliated afterwards.”
Downing Street has defended the decision to appoint a joint team of advisers to support the chancellor. Sunak became chancellor after agreeing to the conditions.
During the election campaign Javid committed to run a balanced budget for current spending within three years. Officials have refused to commit to keeping those same fiscal rules.
Javid refused to comment to the Times on the PM’s senior adviser Dominic Cummings, with whom he repeatedly clashed, and instead focused on Treasury’s relationship with Downing Street.
“In every government there is a natural tension that will exist between No 14 and No and that’s not about the personalities, it’s there because apart from the Treasury all departments … are spending departments, ”Javid said.
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