Question
The Office for Budget Responsibility said last week that higher taxes were weighing on living standards, with the tax burden heading for a record high. The Budget was a missed opportunity for the Chancellor to cut the cost of living by cutting taxes, but instead his answer was to cut the price of gherkins. The Chancellor promised “breathing space” nine times in his speech; does he really think that 6p a day in savings amounts to breathing space for hard-working families?
Answer
There will be a council tax cut in the new year. A VAT cut in electricity bills will be extended. A 5p cut in fuel duty will be extended through next winter and into July. This is also a Budget that has rejected broad-based tax rises. This is a Government and a Budget making sure that we close the loopholes and target the measures we are taking at those who can pay, and pay what they owe. All those policies in the Budget are fully funded, because underpinning all is the fiscal discipline that is needed to rebuild confidence in this country, and confidence in our ability to manage our finances that were so badly damaged by the Truss mini-Budget in 2022.17% point-scoring
Verdict: RED (8/100)
The question asked the Chancellor whether the reported 6p-a-day cut in gherkin prices amounts to breathing space for hard-working families. The reply does not mention gherkins, the 6p saving, or the 'breathing space' point at all. It instead lists general Budget measures and fiscal-discipline statements, so the specific question was not answered, and the questioner would likely need to ask again.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the Chancellor's view on whether the measure to cut the price of gherkins, which the question says saves about 6p a day, amounts to breathing space for hard-working families. | Not Addressed | Generic | The question asks for the Chancellor's view on whether the gherkin price cut (about 6p a day) amounts to breathing space for hard-working families, but none of the answer statements mention gherkins, the 6p saving, or the 'breathing space' framing. The reply instead lists general Budget measures (council tax cut, VAT on electricity, fuel duty extension) and fiscal-discipline assertions, which do not engage with the specific item. |