Kwasi Kwarteng Will Hold A Cost Of Living Mini-Budget On Friday Before Party Conferences
Kwasi Kwarteng leaves Downing Street (Alamy)
2 min read
Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng will use a mini-budget on Friday 23 September to set out the Liz Truss government's plans for tax cuts and how the energy cap freeze will work, after the Queen's death caused delay to the anticipated event.
A senior government source confirmed to PoliticsHome a report in The Guardian that Kwarteng would deliver the fiscal event next Friday, before MPs leave Westminster to attend party conferences, with Labour's taking place in Liverpool and the Conservatives heading to Birmingham.
While Parliament does not usually sit on a Friday, ministers have been scrambling to ensure the mini-budget, promised by Truss during her leadership campaign, could go ahead before Conference recess after the death of Queen Elizabeth put all government and parliamentary business on hold for 10 days.
MPs and peers had expected to rise again from Thursday 22 September until October 17 for the annual party conference season.
However, in order to accommodate Kwarteng's fiscal announcement, parliament will break up for the conference period later than planned to make up for time lost during the period of national mourning.
In a further move to create more time for government and parliamentary business, MPs will return from Conference recess on 11 October, House authorities confirmed on Thursday — a week earlier than originally planned.
Truss is under pressure to set out details of her government's plan to freeze the energy cap as soon as possible amid the ongoing cost of living crisis, but the Queen's death has brought British politics to a standstill, making it trickier.
Many MPs are believed to want the chance to swear the oath to the King when the House of Commons sits again next week. Senior MPs including Truss and Labour leader Keir Starmer took part in a swearing in ceremony on Saturday, but others are not required to do this.
Wednesday's session, which will begin at 10am, will first see members of the cabinet and shadow cabinet offered the opportunity to take the oath, with other ministers next on the list, followed by MPs based on the year they were elected.
After becoming prime minister this month, Truss announced that she would keep average household energy bills at £2,500 for two years and provide equal support to businesses for six months.
Businesses have been warned, however, that they face waiting until November before receiving the support as it is more complex than helping households, the Financial Times reported.
Kwarteng is also expected to confirm the government's plan to reverse the recent National Insurance rise when he delivers his mini-budget.
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
