Tory MPs Tax Point Backfires Spectacularly

REDCAR, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: Jacob Young MP, Member of Parliament for Redcar hosts a visit to the town by Robert Jenrick MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on June 11, 2021 in Redcar, England. The visit comes in order to see the culture and leisure anchor projects, including the seafront and Esplanade that are planned to be developed after it was announced that two Teesside towns, Redcar and Hartlepool will receive £25m in funding after both successfully bid for millions in regeneration funding, under the Government's Towns Fund scheme. The Towns Fund is a £3.6bn pot of money designed to "level up" regions nationwide, with 100 boards at a local level invited to draw up investment plans for up to £25m from the fund. Redcar was among 101 towns selected by Government to agree a deal from the Government’s £3.6 billion fund. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

A Tory MP was left embarrassed after he tried to score a political point about how much tax people pay under the Conservatives compared to Labour.

Jacob Young claimed that workers on low salaries are handing over £2,000 less a year to the government than they did when Labour were last in power.

He made his point on X (formerly Twitter) by saying: “In 2010 under Labour, someone earning £15,000 paid £2,726 in tax. In 2024 under the Conservatives, someone earning £15,000 will pay £679 in tax.”

But a community note - which allows fellow X users to post corrections - added to his post showed that the Redcar MP was not comparing like with like and had therefore got his sums wrong.

It said: ”£15,000 in 2010 is £22,000 in 2024 after factoring inflation. The calculation counts income tax and NI [National Insurance] in 2010 whilst only counting income tax in 2024. Accounting for this “inadvertent mistake” would equal £2638 in tax.”

In 2010 under Labour, someone earning £15,000 paid £2,726 in tax.

In 2024 under the Conservatives, someone earning £15,000 will pay £679 in tax.
— Jacob Young MP (@JacobYoungMP) March 7, 2024

The MP’s gaffe came on the say day that his party was also community noted for its own misleading claims on tax.

The Conservatives’ official X account posted a graphic claiming: “We’re cutting your taxes ... again. That means the average worker on £35k will save £900 this year.”

The accompanying message said: “This is what happens when you stick with the plan that’s working.”

But the community note below it pointed out: “This is misleading, as under the Conservatives the UK tax burden is currently at a record high.”

Rishi Sunak has also fallen foul of the community note function in the past.

In his New Year’s message on December 31, Sunak said the Tories were “cutting taxes” and “bringing NHS waiting lists down”.

But a community note showed that taxes are actually going up overall, while waiting lists are at record highs.

Just two days later, the prime minister landed in hot water after he claimed the government had “cleared” the backlog of so-called “legacy” asylum claims dating back to before June 2022.

But he failed to mention that 4,500 “complex” claims had not been resolved, with a further 17,000 being withdrawn.