Starmer Leaves Tax Threshold Freeze Extension Open Before Budget

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer declined to rule out extending a freeze on income tax thresholds during heated exchanges in Parliament on Wednesday, as anticipation builds for Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Autumn Budget on November 26. The session, the last Prime Minister's Questions before the fiscal event, highlighted tensions over potential tax measures aimed at addressing a reported 50 billion pound shortfall in public finances.

In the House of Commons, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch pressed Starmer on whether the government would extend the threshold freeze, a policy in place since 2021 that pushes more earners into higher tax bands as wages rise without adjustments to allowances. Badenoch described the approach as a "stealth tax" and accused the government of breaching Labour's manifesto pledge not to extend the freeze beyond 2028. "This is the first Budget to unravel before it's even been delivered," she said, warning that speculation was causing economic anxiety, with businesses delaying investments and home purchases.

Starmer responded by emphasizing the upcoming Budget's focus on protecting public services like the National Health Service without resorting to austerity...