Rishi Sunak vows to cut taxes but not until public finances are on 'sustainable footing'

Rishi Sunak has vowed to cut taxes - but not until the country's public finances have been put back on a "sustainable footing".

Speaking to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester - his first at an in-person party conference since he took over from Sajid Javid as chancellor in February 2020 - the Chancellor praised his predecessors for having shored up the economy during the austerity years, saying "strong public finances don’t happen by accident".

"They are a deliberate choice - a legacy for future generations and a safeguard against future threats," he added.

"I believe in fiscal responsibility, and everyone in this hall does too. And whilst I know tax rises are unpopular - some will even say un-Conservative... anyone who tells you that you can borrow more today, and tomorrow will simply sort itself out, just doesn’t care about the future.

"Yes, I want tax cuts. But in order to do that our public finances must be put back on a sustainable footing."