Tory MP Says She Will NOT Vote Through Philip Hammond’s Budget

31 October 2018, 07:31 | Updated: 31 October 2018, 07:49

A Conservative MP has told LBC she will not vote through Philip Hammond’s Budget.

Dr Sarah Wollaston said she would abstain from the vote for a “variety of reasons”, but insisted it had nothing to do with her criticisms of Brexit.

The MP for Totnes was critical of the chancellor’s decision to raise the income tax threshold a year early.

“I don’t think it was the right priority,” she told Tom Swarbrick on Tuesday night.

“It would have been the right time to level with the public to say ‘we are making this extra commitment to health, but that means we’re all going to have to be prepared to contribute a bit more to that’.

“I think the public were ready to have that conversation.”

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Tom asked Dr Wollaston: “You’ll still vote for the Budget won’t you?”

“I will abstain on the Budget,” the Tory MP replied.

“I think for a variety of reasons, I’m also very concerned about the failure to bring forward the changes to Fixed Odds Betting Terminals.

“There is a very strong case that this crack cocaine of gambling… is something we know we have to tackle, there’s been a promise to tackle it… I don’t see why that should be delayed.”

Asked whether there were any other Tory MPs also considering abstaining, Dr Wollaston responded: "I don't know".