Michael Gove calls for tax cuts ahead of next election - putting him at odds with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt

Michael Gove has called for a tax cut before the next general election - putting him at odds with the chancellor on the first day of Conservative Party conference.

Jeremy Hunt told The Times newspaper on Saturday the government was "not in a position to talk about tax cuts at all", and needed to focus on getting to a place in the economy where ministers could "credibly" offer reductions before making offers to voters.

Politics hub: Tory conference kicks off in Manchester

But speaking to Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, the levelling up secretary said he would "like to see the tax burden reduced by the next election".

Mr Gove said he wanted the cuts fall on work to "incentivise people to work harder", adding: "We should make sure that [workers] are better rewarded for the enterprise, effort and endeavour they put in."

Asked about his remarks by reporters, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "We are all Conservatives, of course I want to cut taxes [but] the best tax cut I can deliver right now for the country is to halve inflation.

"It is inflation that is putting the prices of things up, inflation impacting the cost of living, inflation eating into people's savings, their bank accounts, their wallets.

"And that's why the first of my priorities is to bring inflation down - to halve it - and I am pleased we are making progress."

Defending his approach after being pushed on the fact inflation is not actually a tax, he cited Tory grandees Margaret Thatcher and Nigel Lawson, saying it was "the tradition of the great Conservative governments [to bring] inflation down because that is the bedrock on which you build a strong economy and the best way to help people with the cost of living".

Mr Sunak added: "I know things are still tough but the last few months of data should give us comfort and reassurance that we are getting there.

"Inflation is coming down as I said it would. We're going to stick to the course and that is the best way for us to help people."

Mr Gove's comments come as Tory party members gather in Manchester for their annual conference, with a range of topics set to be debated from education and the NHS, through to HS2 and Ukraine.

A number of stories have already broken overnight, including:

• New levelling up funding for "overlooked" British towns

• Pressure from a former leadership contender for the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights

• Reports an election could be called when inflation falls below 3%

• Attacks by a minister on celebrities criticising government policy

More than 30 Tory MPs - including former prime minister Liz Truss and ex-home secretary Dame Priti Patel - have also signed a pledge to not back any further tax hikes.

Ms Truss, whose unfunded tax cuts in her mini budget last year triggered market turmoil, took to X - formally known as Twitter - on Friday to say: "We should always seek to reduce the tax burden, especially when there's so much pressure on family budgets."

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The chancellor pledged to end the "vicious circle of ever-rising taxes" on Saturday, promising to reform welfare and stop overspending in public services.

But the government focus for now is on cutting inflation after its record highs since the exit of Ms Truss from Number 10.

Labour's shadow paymaster general, Jon Ashworth, attacked the prime minister for being "weak" over failing to commit to policies.

He added: "Rishi Sunak is desperate for people to think he's in charge. But even his own cabinet don't believe him and are using this week to jockey for position in the race to replace him.

"Day one of Tory conference is proving the Conservative Party is too divided and too distracted to take Britain forward, while Rishi Sunak is too weak to do anything about it."