London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

Kwasi Kwarteng promises 'relentlessly upbeat' economic plan as Tories warn him not to burden the poorest

Kwasi Kwarteng promises 'relentlessly upbeat' economic plan as Tories warn him not to burden the poorest

The chancellor insists his Halloween announcements will be positive, but his own party have concerns about troubles ahead after the fall-out from his mini-budget.

Kwasi Kwarteng has promised his upcoming economic plan will be "relentlessly upbeat" as some of his own MPs seemed doubtful of his direction.

Speaking in the Commons for the first time since unveiling his mini-budget, the chancellor would not reveal more detail of his next financial announcement, set for Halloween.

But he promised it would include "an absolute iron commitment to fiscal responsibility", with accompanying forecasts from the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR).

While Mr Kwarteng had some support from his backbenchers, he was issued warnings too - including from former Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith, asking him to ensure he will "not balance the forthcoming tax cuts on the back of the poorest people in the country".

And chair of the Treasury Select Committee, Mel Stride, told the chancellor to make sure he "reaches out as much as he can" to all sides of the Commons to get his measures through, adding: "Any failure to do so will unsettle the markets."

Last month's mini-budget from the new government - released without OBR forecasts alongside it - sent the markets into turmoil, with the pound dropping, mortgage products being withdrawn and the Bank of England having to step in to save some pension funds.

Prime Minister Liz Truss and Mr Kwarteng were forced into a U-turn over their plan to scrap the 45p tax rate for the highest earners, and to bring forward the medium-term announcement that had been set for the end of November.

But the economic warnings keep coming, with the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) saying the chancellor would have to cut spending or raise taxes by £62bn if he is to stabilise or reduce the national debt, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) saying the government needed to work with the Bank of England to prevent any further troubles.

Speaking during Treasury questions after shouts from some MPs to "resign", the chancellor insisted he would "canvass opinion widely ahead of the publication of the plan" and that the OBR's independence was "absolutely sacrosanct".

But Labour's shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves called on Mr Kwarteng to "put aside his pride, do the right thing for our country, end this trickle-down nonsense and reverse the budget".

She added: "The chancellor is in a dangerous state of denial but the cost of these mistakes are all too real for everyone else - borrowing costs up, growth down, mortgage payments set to increase by £500 a month.

"Now they scrabble around looking for cuts, hitting the most vulnerable and hitting our public services. It does not need to be this way."

Mr Kwarteng was also pushed by a number of MPs to reveal whether the government would be raising benefits in line with inflation as Boris Johnson's government promised to do, which has led to rows within the Tory Party.

Liberal Democrat Jamie Stone told the chancellor it was the "only fair way forward" and it would be "immoral to do otherwise".

But the chancellor would not reveal the decision, saying he will not "prejudge any measures" to be announced on Halloween.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
×