Priti Patel suggests ‘market forces’ could make government U-turn on tax cuts unavoidable | Politics News

Priti Patel has suggested that “market forces” could make it inevitable for the government to cut corporate taxes.

Speaking to Sky News political editor Beth Rigby, the former cabinet secretary said the need for financial stability “will probably dictate some of these changes right now”.

Her comments come as Downing Street today insisted the prime minister and prime minister “remain committed” to the growth plan laid out in last month’s small budget, which has caused economic uncertainty.

When asked if the corporate tax cut makes sense, Miss Patel told Beth Rigby Interviews…: “The market is going to decide this mainly because we want to see stability, stability is absolutely vital for people to get on with their lives.

“I really think from what we’re seeing that the market will decide that.”

Ms Patel, now sitting after new prime minister Liz Truss failed to give her a job, also reflected on her nearly three years as home secretary as she spoke about the murder of Sarah Everard, facing death threats and racial discrimination.

She said she was “dismayed” by the response of the Metropolitan Police to the women who attended a vigil for Ms Everard, who was abducted and murdered by an officer serving in one of the COVID lockdowns.

Asked if the vigil, where women were handled and arrested, was the beginning of the end for then Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick, Ms Patel said: “It was a series of the facts, it wasn’t just an incident, it was horrible even though it was.

“It’s a bunch of things that we’ve continued to see, the behavior, the culture of people who aren’t stubborn.”

She said she didn’t fire Dame Cressida shortly after because she felt the entire Met Police leadership team was failing women – and she brought them in to find out what was going on. out.

The MP for Witham, 50, added: “Let’s be honest, since then we’ve learned a lot about the Metropolitan Police in terms of behaviour, attitudes.”

The justice system must up its game

Focusing on violence against women and girls, Ms. Patel said she was proud that she had successfully oversaw the Domestic Abuse Bill through parliament so it has now become law.

She said under Boris Johnson’s government they had done “a lot more to shed light on” how domestic abuse can affect anyone at any time and said they had brought victims confidence to move forward.

But she said: “But for them to move forward with confidence also means that the agencies, organisations, police, Crown Prosecution Service, the criminal justice system have to up their game and that’s also the case. where we have been working.”

Death threats and racism

Ms Patel also spoke of receiving “a consistent level of harassment and abuse” during her 12 years as an MP.

She said that included threats and unkindness towards her house watchers and death threats.

“I’ve had a lot of death threats, cases that have gone to court,” she added.

“It provides a pause to think, there’s no doubt about that but I’m in politics because I believe in public service – I’m very old-fashioned to think I believe in public service.”

Ms Patel said there was also abuse in parliament, with MPs saying she had “no right to speak out on certain issues because of the color of my skin” – which she said was “unacceptable”. .

In 2020, a Guardian cartoon depicted her as a fat bull with a nose piercing.

“People know that I’m Hindu and of Indian descent, which is completely unacceptable but a national newspaper feels they can do it and it’s in the public interest.” , She added.