This week the Prime Minister announced a £1 billion deal with the Democratic Unionist Party in return for its support in crucial votes. This has prompted some concern about why, if money is available for this agreement, it cannot be found for our hardworking nurses and others in the public sector who have not had a pay rise since 2009.
I want to make my position clear on this. I agree entirely with those who believe that more money should be found for the Health Service and Education. Some of this could be spent on wage increases for those most in need, such as nurses, and some would go into providing a better service for everyone. This has always been my position. I have raised it many times with the Chancellor and will continue to do so.
Conservatives do not believe in spending money that we do not have. So, to pay for this I believe that, if necessary, we should increase taxes. According to the British Social Attitudes Survey, published this week, nearly half of Britons (48%) agreed that we should raise taxes to increase spending, that’s the highest proportion of support since 2004. I am certain that if this policy was properly explained, and the money was clearly allocated to the right places, even more people would back it.
As far as the DUP deal is concerned, I do not believe that we can make a direct comparison. We need this arrangement to bring stability to the country. If we do not have the support of the DUP, the consequences would be unthinkable. We would, in effect, have no government. Worse still, it might lead to a Labour government that would spend without end. If you add up all Labour’s manifesto spending plans, £50bn extra per annum in recurrent spending, £25bn per annum on investment, renationalising the railways (£20bn+), water companies (£68bn) plus other subsequent announcements on student debt (£35bn). In total over £500bn over the next 5 years. This would leave our children with debts they may never be able to repay. And in any case, without another election Labour would also need a deal with the DUP to form a government, which, even if the DUP were to agree, would cost the same, if not more. More likely, it would lead to another general election, perhaps this autumn. More time wasted and at such a crucial time. The consequent risks would be that we might crash out of the EU with no deal, which I believe would have terrible consequences for our economy – with the result there would be even less money for the NHS and education.
We are facing extremely challenging times, probably the most uncertain that most of us can remember. We need to pull together and support this government in the long-term interests of us all.