The Tories have abandoned the young

Tories who tried to convince Number 10 and Number 11 to delay the hike in National Insurance have had their hopes comprehensively dashed this morning. The Sunday Times carries a joint op-ed by the Prime Minister and the Chancellor which confirms the NI rise is going ahead as planned. Raising tax on workers is estimated to bring in an additional £12bn and will see those on £20,000 paying an extra £89, those on £30,000 stung for £214 and earners on £50,000 forced to hand over a further £464. Higher earners will see sharper increases: £839 on £80,000 and £1,089 on £100,000.

Boris and Rishi try to placate backbench Tories by using their Sunday Times piece to declare themselves ‘Thatcherites’ but at least some of those backbenchers grasp just how toxic pressing ahead with tax rises could prove with traditionally Conservative-sympathetic voters, especially given public sentiment towards the PM at the moment.