Rishi Sunak eyes tax cuts, an autumn election

LONDON: Rishi Sunak thinks he has the makings of a plan to stave off a Conservative Party wipe-out in the upcoming UK election: another tax-cutting budget in September, with voters going to the polls in October or November...

That is the central scenario among political advisers working for Sunak, who this week finally ruled out holding a snap election on May 2, quelling weeks of speculation that he might call an early vote..

While the election date is not decided, the prime minister's aides believe he can leverage falling inflation, expected interest rate cuts and the fiscal headroom likely to accrue by rolling into a new forecast period to announce more pre-ballot giveaways...

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt cut two percentage points off the national insurance payroll tax in two fiscal statements which Labour pledged to match - though it warned it wouldn't support further cuts due to the damage to already crumbling public services...

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