Sir Keir Starmer has been blasted for his “shambolic” definition of “working people” ahead of Labour’s Budget announcement.
Speaking at the Commonwealth leaders’ summit this week, the Prime Minister was asked whether those who work but receive “additional income” from assets such as shares and property are regarded as “working people”.
Starmer claimed that the working person is someone who “goes out and earns their living, usually paid in a sort of monthly cheque”, and someone who can’t “write a cheque to get out of difficulties”.
However, Starmer’s spokesman made clear after the remarks were made that he believes those with a “small amount of savings” do fit his definition.
Preston hit out at Starmer’s ‘shambolic’ handling of the Labour government since winning the general election
GB News / PA
Speaking to GB News, Former Mayor of Middlesbrough Andy Preston criticised Starmer’s first few months in Government, claiming Labour’s return to power has so far has been nothing but “shambolic” for Britain.
Preston fumed: “This is shambolic. Everything that this government touches seems to go wrong when it’s about the small stuff.
“So for everyone’s sake, I hope they get their act together, but we need clarity. And tax is complex, so they’ve got to make it as simple and as clear as possible.”
Hitting out at Labour’s lack of “transparency” over the Budget and who will be hit with taxes, Preston noted that if Labour had warned Britons in the beginning about the “temporary pain” they face, their popularity “would not be plummeting”.
The Prime Minister claimed that his definition of ‘working people’ is ‘someone who can’t write a cheque to get out of difficulties’
PA
Preston explained: “The truth is, tax should be really simple. If they’d said from the beginning there’s going to be a bit of temporary pain, but medium term it’s going to be better, and long term it’s going to be great, but we’re going to put income tax up for the richest as a temporary measure, I think no one would have left the country.
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“Everyone would say fair enough. But instead they tried to obfuscate and hide the truth that tax rises are coming and it’s getting worse and worse. Everybody’s confused and their popularity is plummeting.”
When asked by host Anne Diamond if “all Britons will face the consequences of Labour’s Budget”, Preston agreed, claiming that everyone will be “a little bit poorer” in the coming months.
Preston added: “There’s no doubt that we’re all going to have to be a little bit poorer. And I think actually as a politician, you can get away with that as long as you’re really clear and you say it’s temporary, in the future is going to be much better.
“They’ve got a big majority, but they’re in big trouble. They’re extraordinarily unpopular. I predict it’s going to get worse and worse, and all of the new MPs with tiny majorities will be feeling the heat from their constituents who are getting anxious.”
Former Mayor of Middlesbrough Andy Preston hit out at the Prime Minister ahead of the Budget
GB News
Delivering his verdict on the future of Starmer and the Labour Government following the Budget, Preston predicted that the Prime Minister “won’t last the full five years” if the continue to lack transparency.
Preston claimed: “I do predict Keir Starmer won’t last the full five years. Again, tax should be really simple. If you make it simple and you say it’s temporary, people largely conform and are quite happy.
“The problem seems to be transparency here. They can’t lie straight in bed. What’s really interesting is they try to say as little as possible, but they seem to say too much at the same time.
“The business community is confused, consumer sentiment has plummeted, impacting house sales and retail sales. And it’s a mess of their own making.”
