Top Tory's Expressive Response To Shadow Chancellor's Tax Idea Has To Be Seen To Be Believed

Andrew GriffithA Tory frontbencher could not hide his absolute horror at discovering shadow chancellor Mel Stride had announced he would raise income tax on Tuesday.Amid growing speculation over how Rachel Reeves will fill the government’s fiscal black hole in her November Budget, it seems her opposite number had an idea – but not one he’d shared with many colleagues.Speaking at a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference, Stride said – if he were chancellor – the “cleanest thing to do” would be to raise income tax, because hiking VAT would be inflationary.His comments immediately sparked backlash from within his own party, considering the Tories are typically against tax raises and in favour of spending cuts.Conservative peer, David Frost, was expressing his own concerns over Stride’s comments when he inadvertently broke the news to shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith – who tried and failed to stay composed.Speaking at a TaxPayers’ Alliance event while sat next to Griffith, Frost said: “I was a bit disappointed to hear our shadow chancellor just now saying that if he was in Rachel Reeves’ position he would raise income tax.“I thought our view was that we should be cutting spending, rather than increasing any kind of tax, and expect to hear that quoted back at us. It is really important to have consistency of messaging.”While Frost was talking, Griffith could be seen nodding, then realising what’s just happened, before looking alarmed, furiously scowling and shaking his head – all in the space of about 15 seconds.Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith learns live on stage that Mel Stride has just said that if he were Chancellor he'd raise income tax: pic.twitter.com/boQop1ooGQ— Labour Press (@labourpress) October 7, 2025Later at the event, Frost tried to justify his dig at Stride.He said: “Well obviously, I made a bit of a jibe at Mel at the start, in my remarks.“I think to be fair to him if we must, he was comparing, I think, you know the choice between lots and lots of tinkering tax rises and one simple clean tax rise.“And obviously it’s a rule of politics not to answer questions you don’t want to answer or don’t want to be framed in that way, so I think it’s a pity he said what he did. We should be looking to cut spending not contemplating raising any tax at the moment.”But according to reports, Griffith was so uncomfortable that he asked the chairman not to come to him for remarks on the topic.The hilarious moments comes as the Tories’ annual gathering highlights their painful decline in popularity.Attendance is reportedly down this year, and many journalists have recorded how rooms are empty even for key speeches.The party, who were in government 15 months ago, consistently poll below 20% and have already lost several former Tory ministers to Reform.Related...Tories Left Red-Faced After Serving Up Very Embarrassing Typo On Chocolate BarHow Low Can They Go? All The Ways The Tories Have Started Lurching Further Right'A Grave Political Error': Tories Hit Out At Kemi Badenoch Over Plan To Leave ECHR

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