British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday she would not increase value-added tax if her Conservative Party was elected on June 8, but she did not extend the same promise to other major taxes. "If you look across what we want to do on taxes, we’ve no plans to increase the level of tax, as I say it’s the Conservative Party, we’re a party that believes in lower taxation." But, she refused to recommit to a 2015 election promise made by her predecessor David Cameron not to increase VAT, income tax, or National Insurance - an employment tax - until 2020. The leftist opposition Labour Party, which has also ruled out raising VAT, said May could not be trusted to honour her VAT pledge. May's finance minister, Philip Hammond, has argued that the 2015 tax pledge had limited his ability to manage the economy.

Source: The Star April 30, 2017 14:26 UTC