Headache for Starmer as splits erupt over tax hikes and minister breaks rules

PLITS have emerged at the top of Labour over breaking its manifesto promises on tax hikes, as Sir Keir Starmer was forced to reprimand a Cabinet minister over ethics and defend another from criticism over the handling of mistaken prison releases.

- SOPHIE WINGATE

Labour’s new deputy leader Lucy Powell said the UK Government “should be following through” on its manifesto pledge not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT, amid mounting speculation Rachel Reeves is preparing to do so at the Budget.

Ms Powell’s warning that a break could damage “trust in politics” could cause a headache for the Prime Minister and Chancellor, whose recent comments have heightened expectations that the November 26 statement will feature an increase in the basic rate of income tax.

Sir Keir will return to the UK from Cop30 in Brazil with questions swirling about the Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy’s handling of a mistaken prisoner release.

Mr Lammy has faced scrutiny over his refusal to answer questions in the House of Commons about the wrongful release of Algerian national Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, who was arrested yesterday.

He has also been accused of potentially misleading the public by claiming the error happened before new security checks were implemented, while previously indicating the measures had been in place two days prior to the release.

It later appeared he had misspoken and had been referring to the “error” that led to the convicted sex offender being freed, rather than his actual release.

Mr Lammy came under fire from Cabinet colleagues, with The Times

LAMMY ‘APPALLED’ AT ERRORS

JUSTICE Secretary David Lammy admitted there was a “mountain to climb” to tackle the crisis in the prison system following the arrest of wrongly-released Brahim Kaddour-Cherif.

Algerian national Kaddour-Cherif, 24, was arrested more than a week after the blunder which saw him released from HMP Wandsworth in London.