Labour won’t put up National Insurance – and that will be a manifesto pledge, says Balls

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has said that Labour wouldn’t put up National Insurance if they win in May.

Balls made this announcement to regional journalists in Westminster. But this came a little too late to save Miliband embarrassment at David Cameron’s hands during PMQS, when Miliband wouldn’t confirm whether or not Labour would put up NI.

Balls reportedly said:

“While the detail of all our tax pledges will be for the manifesto – we have a pledge on VAT.

“We will be committing to keep the basic and the higher rates of income tax.

“And we will make it clear in our manifesto that Labour will not in the next parliament be raising National Insurance.

“That will be a clear pledge from us, because we want to do more to support middle and low income families and there is nothing in our plans which requires it.”