Britain to increase tax rates
LONDON, Nov 22: British finance minister Alistair Darling will warn on Monday that taxes will rise in the future to pay for a stimulus plan to boost the faltering economy, media reports said on Saturday.
Darling delivers his so-called pre-budget report -- an outline of his taxation and spending plans ahead of the full 2009-2010 annual budget due early next year — before parliament on Monday.
He was tipped to unveil a huge economic package to help soften the impact of a looming sharp economic slowdown, after British Prime Minister Gordon Brown advocated such an approach at a recent G20 meeting.
Media reports suggest Darling will ramp up public spending, while slashing taxes by between 15-30 billion pounds (18-35 billion euros, $22-44 billion).
The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian newspapers said Darling would argue that higher tax increases and reduced public spending were needed at some stage in the future.—AFP