THE deputy prime minister was told off for his rambling and lengthy response to an SNP MP’s question about the Government’s National Insurance increase.
Patricia Gibson, MP for North Ayrshire and Arran, raised the issue of the tax hike at PMQs – during which Dominic Raab stepped in for Boris Johnson, who is currently in the US.
She expressed concerns over the impact of the tax rise on employers, including those in the public sector. The MP asked what the expected impact will be north and south of the Border, and whether there would be extra funds provided to ensure no public services are cut.
In his response, Raab failed to answer. “Well can I just say to the honourable lady that of course the Treasury assess very carefully these measures.
“We’re supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs for young people under our Kickstart scheme.
"There’s a range of other measures we’re taking, including the Restart scheme and of course we look at the tax burden but I would just remind her that we are the ones that have taken 1200 … we are the ones, we are the ones, who have saved the average worker £1200 every year, we have doubled the free child care for working parents and frankly to the honourable lady we are of course mindful of the pressure on public services as with the private sector.
"We’re doing everything we can. But the SNP opposed coming out of lockdown. The SNP opposed – “
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Speaker Lindsay Hoyle then cut in with an angry “order!”.
“Please! We’ve got to try and get through some questions. It’s your own side that’s stopping us asking the questions deputy prime minister – too long an answer!,” before asking for the next question from Tory MP Dehenna Davison.
During PMQs, SNP deputy Westminster leader Kirsten Oswald also took aim at the Tory-made "cost of living crisis".
She urgent Raab: “It is time to scrap Tory cuts to Universal Credit and to introduce an emergency energy payment for lower-income families so no-one has to choose between heating and eating this winter.”
In response, Raab insisted: “The energy price cap will save 15 million households up to £100 each year, we’re also taking targeted measures to extend the Warm Home Discount, that will be £150 knocked off the bills of 780,000 homes, we’re providing seasonal cold weather payments to eligible claimants, an extra £25 a week during colder periods. On top of that we’re giving a winter fuel payment to recipients of the state pension.”
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