Former Chancellor says tax cut key for recovery — but a quick bounce back unlikely

Rishi Sunak’s predecessor has said a quick economic bounce back is not likely, and that the furlough scheme, along with other emergency spending measures, should be wrapped up by April 2021. The report, published with the conservative think tank Centre for Policy Studies, warns against a return to austerity, and recommends reducing the cost of hiring new employees by cutting National Insurance costs.

The Centre for Policy studies was founded by Margaret Thatcher, and pushes for the principles of: free markets, small state, low tax, national independence, self determination and responsibility.

Mr Javid said: “The Government needs to make jobs its core focus – not just to protect as many as possible, but to make it as easy as possible for them to be created and for people to move into them.”

“Tax employment less, and all other things being equal you will end up with more of it,” he said.

The report also recommends enhancing and fast tracking plans for major investment in infrastructure and regions that have been left behind to increase economic activity and give a long-term productivity boost.

A tax review, the report says, would deliver a moderate increase in revenue through improved incentives and higher growth.

As for immigration, the report recommends a visa scheme to “allow recent graduates from the top 50 academic institutions globally” to “attract elite talent and skills”.

The report doesn’t say how that should be measured though, as top university rankings can change from year to year.

Javid has also suggested pushing ahead with free trade agreements and reviewing the position of the Bank of England.

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This would see the government pump money into ailing businesses and sell shares in those businesses when they have made a significant enough recovery.

The Labour Party has also made recommendations in a report in March, where it criticised the government for acting too slowly. It said it should underwrite a bigger proportion of wages for those who lose their jobs.

source: express.co.uk