Rishi Sunak tells the country \u201cnow is the time to look forward\u201d as he promises to put money back in people\u2019s pockets.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister says it is time to \u201cmove on\u201d from the high tax, high spend, high borrowing covid era to build a brighter future for the nation.<\/p>\n
Mr Sunak vows he will take the right decisions, not the easy ones now inflation has fallen dramatically since its punishing double digit high.<\/p>\n
But he warns Labour will put the hard work at risk with \u00a328 billion of unfunded spending plans.<\/p>\n
Writing in the Daily Express, Mr Sunak said: \u201cWe\u2019ve got to move on from the spending, high borrowing, high tax approach that was necessary to get us through Covid and the energy crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow is the time to look forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo do the right thing, not the easy thing \u2013 for pensioners and for everyone in our country.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo take long-term decisions to build a brighter future.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd only this government has the right plan to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a moving reflection on his own upbringing, Mr Sunak told how he owes \u201ceverything\u201d to his family upbringing.<\/p>\n
His parents Yashvir and Usha met when they migrated to the UK, with his father becoming an NHS GP and while his ran a local pharmacy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey overcame huge odds to give our family a better future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Sunak said every family will have their own stories of sacrifice.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever it is \u2013 we owe our pensioners an enormous debt of gratitude,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I believe the measure of a good society is how we treat our elders.\u201d<\/p>\n
The PM insisted tackling inflation was the right priority this year as it piles the heaviest burden on those who struggle most.<\/p>\n
Last month he met one of his five pledges – halving inflation – when it dropped from 11 per cent in January to 4.6 per cent.<\/p>\n
Mr Sunak said it will ease pressure on shopping bills and mortgage rates.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis hasn\u2019t happened by accident,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the result of difficult decisions we\u2019ve taken to be responsible with the public finances.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd there\u2019s more we need to do to keep inflation falling.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut while the job is not yet done \u2013 I believe we can now change gear.\u201d<\/p>\n
He highlighted how that will begin with the biggest package of tax cuts since the 1980s from next month (JAN).<\/p>\n
National insurance is being reduced by two per cent, which will save someone earning \u00a335,000 more than \u00a3450.<\/p>\n
Mr Sunak warned that his plan to put the economy back on track after the shocks it suffered from covid and the invasion of Ukraine will be put at risk under Sir Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cFirst cut inflation, then cut taxes \u2013 that\u2019s always been my mantra.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut contrast our approach with the Labour party.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey want to spend \u00a328 billion every year without any plan on how to pay for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we all know what that will mean \u2013 higher taxes for families across the county, putting at risk all the progress we\u2019ve made, and take our country backwards.\u201d<\/p>\n