Jeremy Hunt could become the first modern chancellor to lose his Commons seat, according to new polling which suggests his own constituents are far more concerned with the state of the NHS than with the tax cuts the chancellor is wrangling with for his upcoming Budget.
He and Rishi Sunak are reportedly due to meet on Sunday evening to make a final decision on whether a 2p cut to income tax is affordable in Wednesday’s statement.
Referring to the 2 per cent cut to national insurance in his autumn statement, the chancellor told Sky News on Sunday morning that he hopes “to make some progress on that journey, but we’re going to do so in a responsible way”.
But recent Survation polling in Mr Hunt’s own constituency found he is trailing the Lib Dems’ 35 per cent, with the Tories sitting behind at 29 per cent and Labour seven points behind. Voters told pollsters they are most concerned about the NHS and cost of living, with just 4 per cent saying tax cuts are a key election issue.
