𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge has said new policies have “got to last more than a few minutes” of scrutiny, during a discussion on the Prime Minister’s announcement that new VAT cuts will be partly funded by scrapping Sir Keir Starmer’s digital ID project.

Mr Cartlidge’s comments came after former chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones posted on X that it is “good news that VAT will be cut on electricity bills” but “the DigitalID program was unfunded”.

The shadow defence secretary told Times Radio that the OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility) also said last year that the digital ID card scheme has not been funded.

He said: “They (the OBR) literally said that, so you can’t fund a tax cut with… with savings from a programme that itself wasn’t funded.

“So you know, big question here, backed up by someone who – as you can rightly say – was only recently was in the heart of government under Labour – so it’s a fairly extraordinary position… I certainly agree with the new Prime Minister that cost of living is a big issue, I think we all agree with that, it’s still the number one thing that comes up on the doorstep with my constituents.

“But if you’re going to have policies to deal with it, they’ve got to last more than a few minutes in terms of scrutiny, to be honest.”