UK PM pledges no new taxes on workers in budget

LONDON, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) — In a speech in Birmingham on Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer strived to assure the public that the upcoming Budget would protect public services from severe austerity and safeguard public finances from a damaging course.
Starmer signaled initiatives in the Budget, including a 240-million-pound fund (311.7 million U.S. dollars) to help inactive workers re-enter the workforce, an extension of the 3-pound cap on bus fares until the end of 2025, and a pledge that “no more tax will appear on working people’s payslips.”
However, Starmer also warned of “tough measures” necessary to stabilize the economy, suggesting potential increases in areas such as capital gains tax and employer national insurance contributions.
A poll by More in Common UK released Monday found that 70 percent of British believe the United Kingdom is worsening. Additionally, less than a third think British democracy is functioning well, and only a fifth feel that politicians are equipped to meet the nation’s challenges. (1 pound = 1.3 U.S. dollar) ■