Foreign
PRIME Minister Liz Truss has insisted the Government’s tax-cutting measures are the “right plan” in the face of rising energy bills and to get the economy growing.
It should get the economy growing in spite of market turmoil sparked by the Chancellor’s mini-budget.
In her first public comments since the mini-budget market chaos, Ms Truss on Thursday defended Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s measures, insisting urgent action was needed.
She admitted that the Government’s decisions have been controversial.
Truss told BBC radio: “We had to take urgent action to get our economy growing, get Britain moving and also deal with inflation.
“Of course, that means taking controversial and difficult decisions but I am prepared to do that as Prime Minister because what is important to me is that we get our economy moving.
“We make sure that people are able to get through this winter and we are prepared to do what it takes to make that happen’’.
She said the mini-budget was the right plan, in spite of mounting calls including from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a U-turn on some of the policies.
The policies were announced last Friday after the pound sunk to a record low against the U.S. dollar on Monday.
On Wednesday, the Bank of England launched an emergency government bond-buying programme to prevent borrowing costs from spiralling out of control and stave off a “material risk to UK financial stability”.
The Bank announced it was stepping in to buy up to 65 billion pounds ($70 billion) worth of government bonds known as gilts at an urgent pace.
After fears over the Government’s economic policies sent the pound tumbling and sparked a sell-off in the gilts market, which threatened to spark the collapse of some UK pension funds.
The FTSE 100 Index has also been hit by market volatility amid the bond sell-off and wider global recession fears, falling by nearly two per cent in early trading on Thursday after a rollercoaster ride on Wednesday. (Xinhua/NAN)
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Tags: International Monetary Fund Liz Truss
