Tories break manifesto pledge with National Insurance hikes

The Chancellor has broken a Conservative manifesto pledge by introducing a tax on entrepreneurs and "white van man" with a rise in National Insurance payments that will cost them £93 by next year. Meanwhile cuts in corporation tax will still go ahead and wealthy pensioners will not being ask to pay a greater share.

The tax will hit five million people and breaks a Conservative manifesto promise not to increase National Insurance.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Susan Kramer said: "This is a tax on builders, taxi drivers and window cleaners, some of Britain's hardest working people. This hits the gig economy where people are already insecure and facing rising prices and job uncertainty. And on International Women's Day it will hit over one and a half million women.

"Companies will continue to save money by using workers without giving them the security and benefits of staff jobs. Meanwhile, these workers will have to pay more. This is patently as unfair as it is a tax on entrepreneurship and hard work."