Voters warn Sunak not to unleash austerity on public services

Sunak and Hunt are coming under intense pressure from Conservative MPs to limit the scale of tax rises

Rishi Sunak was today warned not to plunge the UK into a new era of austerity, as fresh polling showed voters would prefer to see taxes rise than cuts inflicted on public services.

The survey for The Independent by Savanta ComRes found overwhelming support – including among Conservative voters – for an extended windfall levy on energy companies and for the introduction of a wealth tax on property and other assets to ease the financial crisis facing Britons.

With half (50 per cent) saying their personal finances were deteriorating, one in five (20 per cent) fearful for their jobs and nearly a third (29 per cent) worried they may not make their rent or mortgage payments, only a third (32 per cent) trusted the Conservative government to handle the economic crisis – 17 points behind Labour, with Keir Starmer ahead of both Sunak and chancellor Jeremy Hunt.