Michael Gove calls for tax cuts ahead of the next election despite Chancellor ruling them out

Michael Gove has called for tax cuts ahead of the next election despite the Chancellor ruling them out.

Jeremy Hunt told The Times on Saturday that the Government was “not in a position to talk about tax cuts at all” despite rising calls to ease the financial burden on Britons amid the cost of living crisis.

Speaking to Sky News, however, Mr Gove said: “I would like to see the tax burden reduced before the next election.”

He suggested the focus should be on cutting taxes on work such as income tax or national insurance.

“My own view is, wherever possible, we should cut taxes on work. In other words, we should incentivise people to work harder, we should make sure they are better rewarded for the enterprise, the effort, the endeavour that they put in.”

Mr Gove, who is the Levelling Up Secretary, added: “Of course it is the case that taxes are higher than we would want them to be. That is a fact.

“It’s one that I believe is due principally to the pandemic but also to an extent to the war in Ukraine.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has insisted the biggest “tax cut” he can offer is halving inflation.

He was challenged about comments from Iceland boss Richard Walker, who claimed the Tories are “drifting out of touch” with the needs of business, the environment and “everyday people”.

But Mr Sunak told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “Change may be uncomfortable for people. People may be critical of it, but I believe on doing the right thing for the country.

“I’m not going to shy away from that. If I believe the right thing to do is to chart a new course for net zero that will save ordinary families £5,000, £10,000, £15,000, £20,000, I’m going to do it.

“I’m a Conservative, of course I want to cut taxes. The best tax cut that I can deliver for the British people right now is to halve inflation.”

It follows reports that senior Tories will mutiny at the Conservative party’s conference tomorrow by staging an intervention to call for tax cuts.

Mr Sunak wants to use his first conference as party leader to turn his fortunes around with hard-hitting policy announcements on smoking and education.

But Liz Truss is expected to be among the MPs putting pressure on him by making a case for the Tories to become “the party of business again” by cutting taxes and red tape, while Dame Priti Patel will back “economic freedom and low taxes”.