The Bury South Conservative candidate says only his party have a "clear plan to deliver a brighter and more secure future" after the release of the Tories' General Election manifesto last week.

As part of the plan to support working people and build a strong economy, the Conservatives have set out "bold action" to abolish the main rate of National Insurance for the self-employed.

Over the next Parliament, the main rate of Class 4 National Insurance contributions (NICs) will fall to five per cent in April 2025, four per cent in April 2026, three per cent in April 2027 and two per cent in April 2028, before being abolished entirely in April 2029.

This follows tax cuts already delivered for self-employed people and is the "next step in the Conservatives’ long-term ambition to end the unfair double tax on work", which sees working people pay two types of tax on their income – income tax and National Insurance – when other people only pay income tax.

Combined with the tax cuts already delivered this year, this is a tax cut for the average self-employed person on £28,000 worth more than £1,500 a year, the Conservatives say.

The party says two million self-employed people will benefit and take 93 per cent of self-employed people out of paying Class 4 NICs.

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Bury South Conservative candidate Arnie Saunders said: “I know the past few years have been challenging following Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and Covid.

"Only the Conservatives have a clear plan to deliver a brighter and more secure future.

“This is another step towards the long-term ambition to end the unfair double tax on work when it is affordable to do so and will put more money in people’s pockets across Bury South to reward hard work and entrepreneurial spirit.

“The choice for voters at this election is clear- stick with Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives who have a clear plan and will take the bold action needed to secure a brighter future for people across Bury South.

"Or go back to square one with Keir Starmer and the same old Labour who will put up taxes by £2,094 for every working household.”

The other Bury South candidates for the July 4 General Election are Jeff Armstrong (Reform UK), Sameera Ashraf (Workers Party), Michael Elston (Independent), Stephen Morris (English Democrats), Andrew Page (Liberal Democrats), Dan Ross (Communist Party of Britain), Christian Wakeford (Labour) and Michael Welton (Green Party).