UK newspapers are focused on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement, which includes a 2p cut to National Insurance that will come into effect in January. However, most papers are also pointing out that the tax burden is forecasted to be the highest level since World War II. The i newspaper notes that the freezing of income tax thresholds will result in millions of people paying higher rates with inflation. The Financial Times reported that the Office for Budget Responsibility has stated that the tax burden will increase for each of the next five years.
The Times provides a more sympathetic headline which reads “Chancellor Eases Tax Burden.” While it acknowledges the OBR forecast of increased tax burden, it concentrates on the positive aspects of the statement. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail is hoping for further tax cuts and welcomes the £11bn tax break for businesses, calling it the “largest boost in modern history.” It hopes that this is just the beginning of a series of tax cuts.
The Guardian covers other stories alongside the Autumn Statement, including the potential four-day truce between Israel and Hamas, which will begin when it is ratified. The Independent carries a series of protests in various countries including Egypt, the Philippines, and the US, over a number of issues including police brutality and discrimination. Some papers like Metro and The Sun have praised the cuts to National Insurance, and The Daily Express reports that the Autumn Statement shows that the government has listened to its campaign on protecting the pension triple lock.
On the other hand, The Daily Mirror is highly critical of the statement, claiming that millions of people will be worse off despite the new measures. The Daily Telegraph notes that despite the Autumn Statement’s being the largest tax cuts implemented in the UK since the 1980s, the measures announced by the chancellor have been dwarfed by the impact of past stealth tax raids
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