Rishi Sunak: 'Choose tax cuts, lower immigration, and protected pensions'

Rishi Sunak writes exclusively for The North Northern Echo before the nation goes to the polls in the General Election on Thursday, June 4.

I know the potential of this area. Over the last 10 years, I have seen this region transformed by a Conservative government and a Conservative Mayor in Ben Houchen who have believed in you and your future.

For decades, this area was taken for granted and neglected by Labour. They expected your loyalty and your vote but they never delivered for you. This Conservative party will never take you for granted.

Working closely with Ben, we brought the Treasury North campus here to Darlington, securing high-skilled jobs and cementing the region’s status as a key economic hub. And what did Keir Starmer say about that? ‘That isn't levelling up, that is giving up.’ That just shows you what he thinks of you, that bringing a government department here---with the good jobs and opportunities that follow—is giving up.

One of the things I am proudest of in government is our freeports programme. These have spread prosperity around our country and are helping us seize the opportunities of Brexit.  The Teesside Freeport has breathed new life and energy into the local economy, attracting investment, stimulating trade and innovation and creating new employment opportunities. And our expansion of Teesside International Airport has improved transport links and enabled the region to compete globally at the highest level.

We’re investing in Teesside town centres too so that people feel proud of the place they call home. If you go around Teesside now, every high street and town centre – Eaglescliffe, Yarm, Stockton, Darlington, Hartlepool – is getting investment from our levelling up funds worth a total of £851 million across the Northeast. Darlington have received £22.3 million and Bishop Auckland £33.2 million through our Towns Deals to regenerate their high streets and revive community hubs. Today, this part of Britain is characterised by innovation, growth and transformation.

By cancelling Phase 2 of HS2, which would have given no benefit to the North East, we have been able to commit millions of pounds more to transport projects across the north, including an additional £361 million for the Tees Valley Combined Authority. Ben has set out a detailed plan for how he intends to spend this budget, which now totals £978 million, including a new River Tees crossing and a rebuild of Teesside Airport station. I think we can all agree that these will deliver more for us than the delayed and over budget HS2. Yet all these projects are at risk from Labour who have not committed to any of them.

(Image: Northern Echo)

Labour would take taxes to their highest ever levels. Worse than that they would make every working family pay £2,094 more in tax. Keir Starmer says anyone with savings would be in his sights. Labour would raid people’s pensions with their Retirement Tax, dragging the State Pension into income tax for the first time, and what’s worse is that they have refused to rule out 17 more tax rises. All their evasions make clear is that council tax would be whacked up under Labour.

As Northern Echo readers understand, Labour’s £38.5 billion black hole will need to be funded somehow or other, and the answer to their problems is always to raid your hard-earned money. My clear plan for the next five years could not stand in starker contrast.

As we look to the future, I want to ensure a brighter future for this country. I know the last few years have been tough and we have not got everything right. But just this week, we’ve seen inflation fall back down to the Bank of England’s two percent target for the first time in three years this week – lower than in Europe and the US. Not only that – real wages are rising, Britain is the joint fastest-growing economy in the G7, and we have been able to cut people’s taxes by £900 this year.

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In the next Parliament, I am determined to take further bold action. I will cut taxes for workers, parents, and pensioners by cutting National Insurance by a further £400 for the average worker, abolishing the main rate of National Insurance completely for the self-employed, and introducing the new Triple Lock Plus to guarantee that the State Pension never gets dragged into income tax. I will also take bold action to stop the boats and cut immigration. With me as your Prime Minister, flights to Rwanda will take off by the end of July, and I will introduce a legal cap on migration so that it falls year-on-year.

Again, contrast our plans with Labour. While we will take bold immigration to deport illegal immigrants and cut migration, Labour would grant illegal immigrants an amnesty and scrap the Rwanda plan even when flights are taking off. They don’t have a single plan for government other than to raise your taxes.

So, the choice at this election is clear. Choose tax cuts, lower immigration, and protected pensions. Vote Conservative on 4th July for a safer, more secure, more prosperous future for your family.