Michael Gove is leading a Tory rebellion against the government’s planned tax cuts.
The former levelling up secretary has been joined by former housing minister Grant Shapps in calling to reverse plans to scrap the 45p rate of income tax.
Shapps called the policy “tin-eared”. Gove, casting himself as the leader of the internal Tory opposition, said that Truss had “no mandate”. Fourteen Tory MPs have publicly come out against the plan and more are expected to do so.
It is understood that Gove is willing to join forces with Labour to block the policies.
The chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, is expected to speak to delegates at the second day of the Conservative Party’s annual conference in Birmingham today. Sources overnight said that he could be forced to scrap the policy early today.