Boris Johnson Set to Woo Business with Tax Cuts and End Brexit “Uncertainty” Ahead of December Poll
As parties across the UK political spectrum are making their election pitches ahead of the snap poll set for 12 December, PM Boris Johnson is hoping to win a majority to get his Brexit deal for taking the country out of the EU lawfully by 31 January.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce a range of tax cuts for businesses at the Confederation of British Industry conference on Monday, reports The Guardian.
The prime minister will reportedly announce policies to help businesses “make the most of Brexit”.
At the business lobby group’s conference, the Conservative leader is anticipated to pledge tax relief for the construction and research industries, besides a tax cut for small employer,s by raising the allowance for their national insurance bills from £3,000 to £4,000.
The Tories would also increase the Research and Development tax credit rate from 12 per cent to 13 per cent, which they say will boost manufacturing and the professional, scientific and technical services sectors.
Johnson is expected to say:
“Let’s not beat around the bush, big business didn’t want Brexit. You made that clear in 2016 and this body said it louder than any other. But what is also clear is that what you want now – and have wanted for some time – is certainty.”
Lib Dems “natural party of business”
At the CBI conference, the Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson is expected to build her argument that the Lib Dems are the “natural party of business” on the fact that they seek to cancel Brexit.
“The Liberal Democrats are the natural party of business. With the Conservatives in the pocket of Nigel Farage, and Jeremy Corbyn stuck in the 1970s, we are the only ones standing up for you. Because we believe that any form of Brexit, whether it’s hard or soft, blue or red, will be bad for jobs, business and our public services,” Swinson is set to say, reports the outlet.
Labour vows “climate apprenticeships”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is likely to focus on his party’s plans for a green industrial revolution, as he is expected to announce plans to create 320,000 “climate apprenticeships” in the party’s first term in government, paid for out of the current apprenticeship levy on companies.
This, he will argue, would enable the UK to train more engineers, technicians and skilled staff in renewable energy and transport, sustainable construction, and low-carbon industries.
However, Fairbairn criticised Labour’s plans for sweeping nationalisations, particularly for utilities, broadband, the postal service and railways, as potentially likely to “freeze investment”.
As Britain is gearing up for a 12 December snap poll, the UK political parties have been making their election pitches, with the Conservatives’ Boris Johnson hoping to garner a majority to get his Brexit deal into law by 31 January – the current withdrawal deadline set by Brussels.
Four new opinion polls give Tories a commanding lead over Labour as election looms.
Three surveys, by YouGov, Deltapoll and Opinium, all give the Tories double-digit leads.
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