Chancellor’s decisions are going to hurt taxpayers and the economy - Yorkshire Post Letters

When I did my GCSEs the lowest Grading was 9. Now Grade 9 is the highest grade and my CV suggests I am now a genius! I can only assume that Rachel Reeves got the job as Chancellor using the same criteria.

The planned increase in Employers' National Insurance contributions will be met by an increase in the consumer price of the services and goods being produced. This in turn will lead to an increase in inflation. The only other alternative for employers is to reduce their staff workforce; so we can also expect a big jump in the number of people who are unemployed.

Similarly, the changes to inheritance tax for farmers will lead to an increase in food prices to cover their losses, increasing the likelihood still further of an increase in the rate of inflation.

When Labour came to power, they said that there would be no increase in taxation for working people. This aforementioned is clearly taxation of the population by the back door. The consumer will end up paying for the changes in National Insurance contributions and Inheritance tax mentioned above.

In the Labour Party election manifesto they said that they would end the Tax Avoidance system so that rich individuals and companies would no longer be able to hide their wealth in tax havens abroad. This has not happened. They are not even pursuing rich people for taxes already owed.

Instead of collecting the tax from those who can most afford it, Labour has gone for those who can least afford it by firstly taking winter fuel payments from pensioners and now they plan to reduce the benefits for people who are too sick to work or are disabled.

This at a time when the cost of living is rising: energy prices are going up; rail fares have gone up; water rates are going up; Council Tax is going up.....

Even Liz Truss had the sense to sack her Chancellor even if he was following her instructions. Starmer needs to find someone who will run the economy for all the people and not just the rich.