Shadow Chancellor calls on Chancellor to rule out tax rises in next month's budget
In his first major speech, Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffiths urged Chancellor John Healey to rule out any tax rises in the October budget, accusing him of being 'out of his depth'.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffiths has used his first major speech to urge the Chancellor to rule out any tax rises in the October budget, claiming businesses were already "suffering enough". In a direct challenge to John Healey, Mr Griffiths said the Chancellor must end the uncertainty and rule out new taxes, including any increase on small businesses and the self-employed, and warned against an "exit tax" that, he said, was already driving wealth creators out of the country.
The speech, delivered with less than six weeks to go before the budget, was also a personal attack on Mr Healey, whom Mr Griffiths described as "out of his depth". He accused Labour of adding £260 billion of debt and imposing the highest tax burden since records began, and said the country had a "debt problem, a growth problem, and now a Healey problem".
Alongside the demands on the budget, Mr Griffiths set out Conservative priorities. He said he would replace IR35, the tax rules aimed at clamping down on disguised self-employment, and pause the rollout of making tax digital, in an effort to improve life for small businesses and the self-employed. He also reiterated plans to prioritise defence spending and cut welfare, drawing what he called a "big difference" between the parties on tax and welfare reform.
However, the Conservative Party has not committed to ruling out tax rises if it were to return to power. Political correspondents noted that it would be unusual for a shadow chancellor to make such a pledge for an entire parliament, and that Mr Griffiths's demand was specifically directed at the upcoming budget.
The budget, due on 28th October, is emerging as a key test for Chancellor John Healey, who has said he wants to reassure markets and control public spending while also delivering on Labour's promises of a transformative government. The pressure on him is expected to mount in the weeks ahead, with both the Labour and Conservative conferences looming.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One | Sky News |
|---|---|---|
| Griffiths urged Healey to rule out new taxes in the next budget. | ||
| Griffiths accused Labour of adding £260 billion of debt and imposing the highest tax burden on record. | · | |
| Griffiths criticised Labour Chancellor John Healey as being out of his depth. | · | |
| Griffiths proposed replacing IR35 rules and pausing Making Tax Digital. | · | |
| Griffiths said the Conservative Party is committed to lower and simpler taxes. | · | |
| The Conservatives did not commit to ruling out tax rises if they take power. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The BBC focused on the Conservative Party's own reluctance to rule out tax rises, and provided context on the political pressures surrounding the budget. It highlighted Mr Griffiths's specific proposals for small businesses and the self-employed, and noted the challenge facing John Healey in balancing reassurance to markets with Labour's transformative ambitions.
- “In short, no, they're not.”
- “Businesses are already suffering enough. The Chancellor must end the uncertainty today and rule out any new taxes.”
- “He must rule out increasing taxes on small businesses and the self-employed.”
Sky News centred on the personal attack on John Healey, describing a "Healey problem", and emphasised the dividing lines between the Conservatives and Labour over welfare and defence. It included analysis from a correspondent who saw the speech as having two parts: attacking the government and setting out Conservative priorities. The channel also highlighted the £260 billion debt claim and the budget deadline.
- “Britain today faces many problems. It has a debt problem, it has a growth problem, and it has now a Healey problem.”
- “They chose to add £260 billion of debt over the course of this Parliament.”
- “And in just 40 days' time now, on the 28th of October, we fear it's about to get worse, because rather than change, we have another Chancellor who's out of his depth.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.