Today Micheal Gove got stuck in a lift at BBC News studios in a hilarious ‘levelling-up’ metaphor.
He also seems to have got himself in a sticky situation over the VAT on energy bills debate.
Labour has accused the Government of backpedalling over promises to cut VAT on energy bills amid rising costs.
Communities secretary Gove pledged to “look at a range of options” in order to help those struggling.
But he avoided questions on whether the Government would consider cutting VAT in order to help billpayers, despite saying during the Brexit referendum that leaving the EU would allow the country to do so.
Promise
Writing in The Sun in 2016, Mr Gove and the Prime Minister promised fuel bills would “be lower for everyone”.
They wrote: “In 1993, VAT on household energy bills was imposed. This makes gas and electricity much more expensive… when we Vote Leave, we will be able to scrap this unfair and damaging tax.”
He also appeared on Sky News in 2016 telling presenter Eamonn Holmes “If we vote to leave the European Union we can cut VAT on domestic fuel to zero… & that would help the poorest families most of all”
Fast forward to this morning and how is it going? Well, Kay Burley asked him whether we should be cutting VAT on energy bills.
Gove responded to the presenter telling her that ‘the more we can cut taxes the better, but at this point we need to take a balanced approach.. & we need to provide support to those with the least income…’
Brexit
So not quite what he promised for Brexit Britain?
Meanwhile, over in the EU, the European Commission said member countries can reduce Vat and energy taxes, issue fuel vouchers, defer utility bills and ban grid disconnections to help families get through the winter months.
In Spain for example VAT on energy bills will remain at 10 per cent, down from 21 per cent, while a special tax on electricity will remain at 0.5 per cent until April 30.
Energy Minister Teresa Ribera: “It’s fundamental to maintain the reductions and suspensions of some taxes that are reflected in our electricity bills.”
EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said: “Rising global energy prices are a serious concern for the EU. As we emerge from the pandemic and begin our economic recovery, it is important to protect vulnerable consumers and support European companies.”
How it’s going
How it started
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Related: Martin Lewis fights back tears as he feels powerless to help single mum caught in cost of living crisis
