Jeremy Hunt hints Tories could SCRAP national insurance altogether

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

62% : But Mr Hunt also announced a crackdown on non-doms, whacked vapers and smokers and curbed tax breaks for landlords.
57% : That is largely down to tax thresholds staying frozen.
57% : 'This has meant fuel prices have been higher than they would otherwise have been.'Fresh 2p cut to National InsuranceJeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak spent the weeks and months before today's Budget hinting at further tax cuts.
57% : The Institute for Fiscal Studies said: 'Based on forecasts from last autumn, that tax cut would not - by itself - be enough to prevent taxes as a share of GDP from rising to record levels in 2028-29.'The Resolution Foundation said that people on less than £19,000 a year would be left worse off overall, as the impact of frozen tax thresholds on their income would be greater than the benefit of the cut in NI.
57% : Air Passenger Duty is charged at three different levels; a reduced rate for economy, a standard rate for business class and a higher rate for private jets.
54% : That is largely down to tax thresholds staying frozenPublic expenditure as a proportion of GDP nudges down very slightly in the OBR's latest forecastsCPI inflation is expected to fall faster than the OBR thought in November - although it warned of the danger of energy price shocksThe OBR's calculations have been shifted by new population estimates, after huge immigration over the past few yearsBudget at a glance: Jeremy Hunt's key announcementsFresh 2p cut to National InsuranceFrom April earners on up to £80,000 will get child benefit, rather than £60,000 currentlyNew tax on vapesRise in tobacco dutyCurbs on 'non-dom' tax statusExtension of windfall tax on North Sea oil and gasCrackdown on tax breaks for holiday letsExtension of 5p cut in fuel dutyAlcohol duties will remain frozen until February 2025Threshold for VAT registration for small businesses will go up from 85k to 90k£1million towards building a war memorial for Muslims who fought for the UK in past warsA new 'British Isa' giving investors a £5,000 extra tax-free allowance to 'encourage more people to invest in UK assets'Planned growth in day-to-day public spending will be kept at 1 per cent in real termsAdvertisementMr Hunt said the UK is back on a 'path to low taxes' today as he unveiled a 2p cut in national insurance and handed thousands of families child benefit.Laying out the Tory election pitch to voters in a crucial Budget, the Chancellor insisted that he believes 'lower taxes mean higher growth'.
53% : Mr Sunak is preparing to offer further tax cuts in the election campaign, and is considering reviving a previous pledge to knock 4p off income tax by the end of the decade.
52% : Mr Hunt executed a U-turn by announcing that non-dom status will be abolished to raise £2.7billion a year, and also expanded the windfall tax on the oil and gas industry - two policies that Keir Starmer had been relying on to fund his priorities.
51% : He told Tory MPs who were goading him: 'For those opposite, now a little downbeat about another intellectual triumph for social democracy, I say ''Get used to it'', because with this pair in charge it won't be long before they ask you to defend the removal of private school tax relief as well.'He described Mr Hunt's tax cuts as a 'Tory con' and said the public will be subject to a 'Tory stealth tax' through council tax increases.Laying out the Tory pitch to voters, the Chancellor insisted that he believes 'lower taxes mean higher growth'Keir Starmer took aim at changes to the non-dom tax regime and an extension of the windfall tax on energy firms - both Labour ideas the Chancellor previously criticised.
47% : But because Conservatives know lower tax means higher growth.
43% : He said: 'Because of the progress we've made because we are delivering on the Prime Minister's economic priorities we can now help families with permanent cuts in taxation.
42% : In comments ahead of the Budget, Mr Hunt had promised 'permanent cuts in taxation' as he aims for 'higher growth'But think-tanks have warned trimming NICs will not be enough to prevent taxes reaching a new post-war high in the coming years, with thresholds remaining frozen.

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