Conservative manifesto: Rishi Sunak’s gamble on tax cuts ‘problematic’, think tank says [Video]

The Conservatives’ election manifesto is “problematic” because it rules out reforming taxes such as council tax and capital gains tax, the director of an independent think tank has said.

Rishi Sunak took the axe to national insurance as he sought lift-off on Tuesday for the Tory party’s election campaign.

The Prime Minister vowed to lop a further 2p off the main rate by 2027. In a surprise announcement, he also promised to completely abolish the main rate of self-employed national insurance to reward “risk takers” who set up their own businesses.

The tax-cutting package, which also includes changes to child benefit, pensioners’ triple lock plus, and moves to help home buyers get onto the property ladder, was expected to total £17.2 billion by 2029/30.

Mr Sunak said: “We are now cutting taxes for workers, parents and pensioners.”

But Paul Johnson, …