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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
John Stevens

Kwasi Kwarteng accused of 'rewriting history' as he passes blame for crashing the economy

Kwasi Kwarteng has been slammed for rewriting history after he attempted to pass the blame for crashing the economy.

The ex-chancellor claimed he had pleaded with Liz Truss to “slow down” her tax cutting rampage.

In his first interview since his sacking, he insisted he had demanded caution in the wake of the mini-Budget as the pound plunged to an historic low.

But Mr Kwarteng today faced a backlash as critics pointed out he went on TV two days after the disastrous economic plan was unveiled to boast that the bonanza of tax cuts was just the start.

Labour ’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “Even after the wrecking ball mini-Budget, Kwasi Kwarteng said ‘there’s more to come’.

Kwasi Kwarteng was sacked by Liz Truss as chancellor as she attempted to save her premiership (PA)

“The Tories crashed the economy - and they won’t even apologise to you for all the damage they’ve done.”

Dame Angela Eagle accused Mr Kwarteng of being “in denial”, as she declared it “pathetic and insulting” that he “can’t even own his share of the catastrophe”.

In his interview with Talk TV, Mr Kwarteng said he bore "some responsibility" for the timetable of the mini-Budget, but that Ms Truss "was very much of the view that we needed to move things fast".

"But I think it was too quick," he added. "Even after the mini budget we were going at breakneck speed. And I said, 'You know, we should slow down, slow down'."

Kwasi Kwarteng has claimed he urged Liz Truss to "slow down" her tax cutting plan after the disastrous mini-Budget (Jonathan Buckmaster)

"She said, 'Well, I've only got two years' and I said, 'You will have two months if you carry on like this'. And I'm afraid that's what happened."

Asked repeatedly if he wanted to say sorry to the people facing extra costs in re-mortgaging, Mr Kwarteng refused, saying: "I don't want to relive the past."

On September 23, Mr Kwarteng announced the biggest raft of tax cuts for half a century.

Using more than £70 billion of increased borrowing, he set out a package which included abolishing the top rate of income tax for the highest earners.

The plan triggered turbulence in the financial markets, forcing the Bank of England to intervene and pushing up mortgage rates.

Two days later, Mr Kwarteng signalled more tax cuts were on the way, spooking markets further.

“There is more to come – we have only been here for 19 days,” he told the BBC ’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.

“I want to see, over the next year, people retain more of their money.”

SNP MP Stewart McDonald last night said: “I’m not buying [Mr] Kwarteng’s attempt to rewrite history and launder his own reputation.

“He was the co-author of the zealot’s charter that put a bonfire under the economy and household budgets - which we’ll be paying for for years to come.”

Watch how Kwasi Kwarteng changed his tune by following Mirror Politics on TikTok here

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