Conservative Member of Parliament for Central Devon. Happily married and proud father of three daughters.
Joined April 2015
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It has been an honour to have served as Shadow Chancellor for almost two years, alongside an exceptionally strong team and a great leader in Kemi.
I am especially proud of the work we have done to rebuild the Conservatives' economic credibility - an issue on which we now consistently lead in the polls - and to have developed the start of a radical and deliverable plan to turn our economy around.
If we care at all about people’s living standards, about delivering world class public services, a society at peace with itself and fully protecting our country in a challenging world, then we need a credible Conservative plan to deliver far stronger economic growth.
That starts with establishing fiscal responsibility and taking the tough choices on spending, allowing us to get on top of our debt and to cut taxes to support growth. I am proud that we have made an important start with our pledges to abolish Stamp Duty, cut business rates and increase the incentives for people (especially young people) to work, as well as tackling the overbearing state that is so often holding us back.
The Conservative party must continue to champion an approach which is both radical and deliverable. It is essential that the next Conservative government does things very differently, backing business like never before and getting government out of the way. The Conservatives have a good story to tell on this now and one that I know will continue to grow stronger and stronger under Kemi’s leadership.
I am now looking forward to continuing to make a real contribution to the Conservative team in parliament and beyond, to build and amplify our vision for Britain, from the backbenches.
Great to be on Politics Live today to put the case for reducing the welfare bill to bring down taxes and the deficit and so grow our economy and make us all better off.
This government is driving down living standards with a complete failure to grip public spending especially the welfare budget. Borrowing and taxes are way too high. Yet all the Chancellor has done is to sit on his hands and hope that something turns up. Not good enough.
Labour utterly hopeless on welfare reform. Now appear to be saying they will NOT be reducing welfare bill before the next election after Chancellor said exactly the opposite on air this morning. Shambles. xitter.gq/jackelsom/status/21157…
Uh oh… after John Healey clearly promised on @BBCr4today that the benefits bill will be cut before the next election, @ChrisMasonBBC tells listeners the Treasury have since been on the phone disputing he said this and that he wasn’t putting a timeline on welfare reductions.
Tomorrow the Chancellor must address the welfare budget. Half a BILLION pounds a day on working-age welfare.
The wrong incentives and the bill is growing.
Labour cancelled our reforms which the OBR said would see 450,000 fewer people on health benefits. The Chancellor must act.
Note to Chancellor: This Wednesday get taxes down. Arthur Laffer and I write in @Daily_Express
Healey’s Budget will be built on sand. I write for CapX. capx.co/healeys-budget-will-…
BREAKING: Inflation highest in almost a year. Not all due to energy. Labour stoked demand with huge borrow and spend, higher taxes (some passed on to higher prices) and no strings attached public sector pay rises which damaged productivity. Labour own much of the inflation story.
BREAKING: Job vacancies have seen their largest fall this year, concentrated mainly in smaller businesses, who cite increased labour costs as a key factor. The budget next week must provide a shot in the arm for hard pressed SMEs. Lower tax. Less regulation. More jobs.
Great to meet Central Devon farmers at @nfutweets HQ. The government’s complete mismanagement of the SFI applications along with Blue Tongue, TB and planning reform high on the agenda. Thanks to all.
Spot on from @KemiBadenoch. Tax something and you get less of it: in this case less investment, fewer jobs, lower growth. Just like a CGT rise, a bank tax hike appeals to the Left’s instincts but is self-defeating, hurting the very people they profess to care about the most. Don’t do it, John.
Labour still haven’t learnt that taxes have consequences. John Healey and Andy Burnham need to learn quickly.
Rachel Reeves thought her jobs tax would be paid by businesses. Instead, workers paid the price through job losses and smaller pay rises.
Now Labour want to tax the banks because it looks like an easy way to raise money, doesn’t it?
But banks lend money to people buying homes and businesses creating jobs. Millions of people’s pensions are invested in them too.
Higher taxes mean a smaller pension for you, less lending and less investment, meaning fewer jobs and ordinary people paying the price again.
Labour can’t act shocked when this happens - they have been warned.
Worth checking this out from @the_tpa It’s hard working people who are picking up the tab for welfare.
Let’s get the benefits bill under control so that we can reduce taxes and get the economy growing.
benefitsdata.uk/mybill
Our @conservatives plan will bring business rates down for our high streets.
By controlling the welfare budget we can boost business.
Spot on from @PJTheEconomist 👇
This really is nonsensical. Claims £14bn could be raised by increasing CGT to income tax rates.
HMRC estimates that a 10% increase in CGT would *cost* £3.5bn. Exact magnitude can be disputed, but it sure as heck wouldn't raise close to £14bn.
thetimes.com/uk/politics/art…
Three points on this.
1) The elasticities around a hike of higher rate CGT mean this won’t raise significant yield. People control when gains fall due.
2) It will definitely punish investment incentives.
3) Whatever happened to ending damaging tax speculation ahead of Labour budgets?
Show some discipline, guys.
