A post from the neutral Civil Service Twitter account of HM Treasury yesterday advertises that the budget included “no increases to the rates of income tax, National Insurance, or VAT.” A blatant lie…
The post has been ridiculed and even drew ire this morning from the IFS’ Paul Johnson who says it’s “at best dubious.” Now the Tories have finally waded in…
Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride has written to Treasury Permanent Secretary James Bowler about the post. He indicates Civil Service impartiality guidance may have been broken. The code does state:
Bowler is asked if he will “commit to ensuring all future communications are factual.” Why does Labour keep bothering with this pretence about not breaking their pledges?
“Dear James,
I write with concern relating to misleading information published by HM Treasury’s X/Twitter account on 7 November.
The post in question was published on 7 November and stated there were ‘no increases to…national insurance’. The full post, with an image, stated: ‘Last week we committed to protecting working people in the Budget. That is why we are not increasing the basic, higher or additional rates of Income Tax, National Insurance or VAT’.
At the Budget on 30 October the Chancellor increased National Insurance Contributions by 1.2 percentage points from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent for employers.
As you will know, the independent Office for Budget Responsibility said that the increase in National Insurance Contributions will impact working people through lower wages through reduced business profits.
Paul Johnson of the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies said an increase in any of the rates of National Insurance would be a ‘straightforward breach’ of the Government’s promise not to raise National Insurance. Johnson has now referred to the post as ‘dubious’, stating that was a ‘generous’ characterisation.
I would therefore be grateful for a prompt response to the following questions:
1. Will you confirm that this Autumn Budget does in fact increase National Insurance?
2. Do you agree, by claiming the Government is not increasing National Insurance, this information is misleading?
3. What is the sign off process for official social media communications – are they signed off by your office as Permanent Secretary or political Special Advisers?
4. Can you confirm officials were not pressured into publishing misleading information by the Treasury?
5. Do you agree it is important that official government social media posts adhere to the Civil Service guidance on social media which states ‘accuracy’ as a ‘point to bear in mind’ when posting?
6. Will you commit to ensuring all future communications are factual?
I look forward to your response.”
