LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Labour will call for a vote on Tuesday to impose a windfall tax on oil and gas corporations, claiming it would be humiliating not to do so to help with growing living costs.
The government’s refusal to implement the programme was obscene, said the Shadow Minister Ed Miliband to BBC.
A windfall tax is a one-time levy imposed on businesses that make unexpected profits.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the Business Secretary, said it wasn’t a good idea that would discourage companies from investing in the UK.
The option is “not off the table,” according to a Treasury source.
Opposition parties have regularly promoted the concept of a windfall tax on oil and gas corporations’ record profits, claiming that the funds gained might be used to support those most affected by growing living costs.
Ministers had dismissed the concept, but last week, Chancellor Rishi Sunak threatened to implement it if companies didn’t invest enough in new projects.
PM Boris Johnson also stated that if not enough investment was made, the government would have to reconsider the idea.
Despite Mr Kwarteng’s remarks, a Treasury official told the BBC that the chancellor remained realistic about the notion and maintained his former view.
Rachel Reeves, Labour’s shadow chancellor, claimed the cabinet was in total turmoil about whether to support the tax.
Labour, the Scottish National Party, and the Liberal Democrats have all advocated a windfall tax to help the most vulnerable.
On Tuesday, there will be a debate on the Queen’s Speech, and Labour will propose an amendment allowing the Commons to vote for or against it.
Mr Miliband, the shadow climate change secretary and former party leader, said it would offer Conservative MPs a choice, saying that they could vote for a windfall tax or they could explain to their voters why they were refusing to provide them with the help that they needed.
He believes it was ridiculous, really, that oil and gas firms were generating billions of pounds in their country as a result of rising energy rates, and the government refused to impose a windfall tax on them, he continued. It was a disgrace.
The rationale for a windfall tax was unarguable right now… With this government’s refusal to help, everyday that went by, millions of people were having sleepless nights every day.”
‘Increased investment’
Mr. Kwarteng stated that the government had already committed £9 billion to help individuals who were struggling to pay their bills, including a £150 council tax rebate for ratepayers.
He believes the chancellor should not “take anything off the table” four months before the government’s next budget.
Despite the government’s suggestions of a shift in policy, the business secretary told Sunday Morning that he does not believe in windfall taxes.
Mr. Kwarteng continued saying that investment in jobs, wealth creation, and new technology were all taxed.
And it was exactly what they wanted to see: increased investment. They did not want to see taxes that acted against any incentive to invest, essentially.
He was not astonished that a Labour frontbencher was saying they should raise taxes – it was not something that was novel to him, the minister stated.
