This might, *might* be the closest we ever get towards feeling sympathy for a Tory Minister trying to explain their way out of the mess they have created. Mel Stride, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, endured a nightmare stint on Sky News today.
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Mel Stride confronted by graph showing taxes increased under Tories
The senior Conservative figure was given the unenviable job of representing his party on the morning media rounds. It’s been a chastening week for the blues, who have been confronted by plummeting poll numbers and an epic Prime Ministerial gaffe.
Rishi Sunak’s decision to leave the D-Day Anniversary events in Normandy early has likely sunk his last chance of remaining Prime Minister. Even his close allies have failed to provide an adequate defence, severely undermining one of his key attack lines.
Tories attempt to trounce Labour on taxes terminated
Despite several official insistences that have stated these figures are incorrect, Sunak and his colleagues are still claiming that a Labour government will increase the tax bill of every domestic household in the UK up to £2,094.
This is the dividing line the Tories are hoping to imprint on the public. However, the D-Day farce has drowned out these debatable and dubious numbers. What’s more, it also looks like we have a severe case of projection on our hands.
Data from OBR and Sky News has calculated that the average British household is paying approximately £13,000 more in taxes than they were in 2019, and before the previous election. The graph was shown to Mel Stride at a rather opportune moment.
Mel Stride humbled by Sky News graph
The Cabinet member had just told host Trevor Phillips that taxes have ‘come down’ under the current government – only to be confronted by a damning sight. Stride subsequently accepted the point, making a mockery of his previous argument.
If you’ve got the stomach for it, you can watch the whole painful exchange below: