THE Foreign Secretary today admitted he couldn’t say when the Government would launch its mid-term fiscal plan.
The Chancellor told GB News yesterdday how he’d not shifted plans for his announcement from November 23, despite claims it would be moved forward.
And this morning (WEDS), James Cleverly risked adding to the sense of confusion by telling the channel’s Isabel Webster: “I can’t confirm exactly what the date is, the Chancellor will do so.
“But the process for calculating the balance between money coming in and money coming out, about tax and about expenditure, whether through benefits or other things will be done by the Chancellor in the usual way.”
Meanwhile Mr Cleverly has issued a call for ministers and Conservative Party members to rally in support of Liz Truss.
Asked if she has lost the authority of the party, he said: “I’m an old-fashioned guy. I always think that the best way for ministers to feed their ideas and views into government is through the traditional structures, around the Cabinet table or in cabinet committees because we’re in a privileged position where we have access to the Chancellor, access to the Prime Minister. backbenchers.
“I have seen whenever the Prime Minister comes to an event at conference, is a huge reception, a really, really passionate and positive reception because people can see she is getting on with the things that she said she was going to get on with. She’s getting on with cutting taxes for 30 million people, investing in the UK, supporting people who are concerned about those energy price rises.
“So that’s what the Prime Minister is focused on. The party I think is responding well to that as a whole and there will always be some people that are critical, but that’s politics.”
He told GB News: “The Prime Minister, when she was running for leadership, set out her agenda for Government. She said she wanted to cut the taxes of hardworking families across the country. She said she wanted to go for a pro-growth agenda.
“She said she wanted to speed up the delivery of infrastructure which unlocked the potential of every part of the UK. That’s what she said she was going to do. That is what she is doing in government.
“And I think it’s incumbent upon all of us to rally around her because that is the right agenda for the government. That’s what’s going to support the British people.
“That is what’s going to make sure that we are successful in the future and the next general election…having these kinds of side conversations isn’t useful and it doesn’t really serve the British people.”
He added: “We absolutely recognise that uncertainty has a negative effect, of course we understand that. We also want to make sure that the decisions that we make as a government and the Chancellor and the Treasury team, make as a unit are based on the most up to date information or based on all the relevant facts are decisions that are in the best interests of the British people.
“That is what they are looking to do. As I say they will give clarity as to when announcements are going to be made, but as I say, they’ll be made this autumn for implementation in the spring, which is the usual rhythm for these kinds of fiscal events.”
