Prime Minister Keir Starmer claims landlords are not working people, and will not be protected by his party’s pledge not to raise tax.

Labour’s manifesto promised that “working people” would not see any increase in income tax, national insurance or VAT.

But it has become unclear who is covered by the term ‘working people’, and when pressed, Starmer said landlords were not covered.

Well, they wouldn’t come within my definition.”

He was asked by Sky News whether “someone who works but gets their income from assets as well, such as shares and property” was a working person.

And he said: “Well, they wouldn’t come within my definition. I think people watching this will know whether they’re in that group or not.”

He continued: “Those people who work hard and are anxious about whether they can make ends meet, and know that should something happen to them and their family they can’t write a cheque to get out of the problem”.

Speculation

There is speculation about what tax measures Chancellor Rachel Reeves will introduce in this week’s Budget, and whether property investors will end up paying more tax.

Earlier, James Murray, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, was unable to say whether those who rent out properties would be covered by Labour’s manifesto promise, the Daily Telegraph reports.

He was asked six times who a “working person” was, and told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “As the Chancellor has said, working people are people who go out to work for their income.”

When asked whether landlords work, he replied: “We were very clear in the election in terms of our manifesto promises that we wanted to protect working people.”