Between Tax Hikes and Spending Cuts, Brits Are Clear
The Conservative-supporting media reacted in horror to the idea that Sunak might raise taxes. The broader public feel differently.
Pulled in different directions.
Photographer: , TOBY MELVILLE/AFPAs Covid-19 continues to stretch the U.K.'s public finances, with the deficit possibly approaching 20% of GDP this year, the autumn budget is expected to address the wide gap between tax revenues and spending.
The impact is likely not just to be economic, but also political. Number Cruncher recently polled 1,000 British adults on the choices ahead. On the question of whether to prioritize tax rises or spending cuts, there is an across-the-board consensus, with 59% preferring higher taxes to 16% favoring lower spending, with the remainder unsure, and a similar pattern across demographics and partisanship.