*It had already done it*

1/. 2022:

The Express warned of “years of tax rises”, described the policy as a “stealth tax raid”, and reported that families would be worse off. Another headline called the measure “monstrous”, declaring “fury erupts as Rishi's raid exposed”. Other quotes by the Express said "Millions will be "pushed into" paying more tax next year following Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement last week.

An individual earning £50,000 will pay just below £59,000 in income tax over the next six years, which is £9,000 more than what it would have been if the thresholds were hiked by inflation

This would be an increase to 23 percent and 43 percent respectively, and taxpayers would pay the same income tax bill of £126,000 income over the six-year freeze

They also highlight the sneaky tactics employed by the Government to nab more money from our pay packets without many taxpayers realising. “Imagine the uproar and headlines if the Government had increased the basic rate of tax from 20 percent up to 23.5 percent.

“Unless the Government hikes tax thresholds by huge amounts in 2028, it’s a fiscal drag that we’ll take forward for the rest of our working lives – those lost six years can never be reclaimed. Each taxpayer is impacted differently depending on their pay, so the equivalent tax rate increase varies across income levels

Later came: “‘It's going to get worse!’ Millions to pay more income tax after Rishi Sunak decision.” And:

“Rishi Sunak's ‘stealth tax’ slammed as millions pay more.”

Whatever anyone's politics, that demonstrates something important about the newspaper.

The Express was prepared to subject a Conservative government to aggressive scrutiny BACK THEN?.

*But there is another crucial distinction. Those reports concerned something government had actually done*

Compare NOW that evidential threshold with more recent coverage.

2/. In August 2026, the Express ran: “Andy Burnham drops snap election bombshell as he hints at fresh tax grab.” Yet its own report said Andy Burnham intended to honour manifesto commitments on income tax, National Insurance and VAT. Asked whether people necessarily had to accept higher taxes, the answer reported was “No”, although other future tax possibilities remained open.

That difference deserves scrutiny.

EXPRESS THEN: an implemented policy produced aggressive criticism.

EXPRESS NOW: the discussion of future taxation can itself produce “tax grab” insinuation.

AND THE IMPLICATION TODAY IS:

In 2021 Kemi Badenoch was Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from 13 February 2020 to 15 September 2021. In fact the leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch entered Parliament in 2017 and served continuously in government from July 2019 until the Conservatives left office in July 2024. Her posts included Education, the Treasury, Equalities, Levelling Up, International Trade and finally Business and Trade Secretary.

AND NOW SHE WANTS TO BE THE NEXT PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

If you think NEVER - join GB2GB and get you name on the list of *Who Stopped Badenoch and Farage* -

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