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Latest Politics News: ‘Concerning’ that people have come from outside Southport to ’cause disorder’, says minister | Politics News
Lord Philip Hammond, who was Chancellor under Theresa May, is speaking to Sky News this morning.
Interestingly, he appears to attack Michael Gove over the Conservative Party’s housebuilding policy while in government.
Lord Hammond and Mr Gove were on opposite sides of the Brexit debate when the former was in government.
Asked about Labour’s housing reforms, Lord Hammond says: “There are many Conservative supporters – and indeed others, not just Conservatives – who are totally against development in their own backyards.
“Many of them understand the principle that we need to build houses somewhere and somehow this impasse needs to be broken.
“And I fear that the last secretary of the commonwealth [Mr Gove] decided to abandon the debate and allow the NIMBYs to temporarily take control of the field.”
Lord Hammond is asked about the war of words between Chancellor Rachel Reeves and her predecessor Jeremy Hunt.
He says Ms Reeves has gone too far in calling Mr Hunt a liar and also warns her against publishing regular statistics on the state of the UK’s finances throughout the year, due to how much the figures can change from one month to the next.
He says Ms Reeves may be being too aggressive in targeting tax increases that flout the manifesto – Lord Hammond points out that it is easier to raise large sums through taxes such as income and National Insurance than through capital gains or inheritance.
The former minister does not know who he would support to be the Conservative leader, but he clearly prefers a more centrist candidate.
On interest rates, Lord Hammond says a cut is unlikely this week but is likely to come later in the year – and questions Rishi Sunak’s decision to call a general election so soon.
In addition to being a former Chancellor, Lord Hammond was also Foreign Secretary.
He says the UK’s ability to influence Israel is limited, as is the EU’s in the current circumstances.
He says he waits what we saw today It’s part of an “eye for an eye” – and none of the participants really want a “full-scale war”.