The first person to raise the fact that a proposed hike in National Insurance Contributions for the self-employed breached a Tory manifesto commitment was the BBC's political editor, Philip Hammond has said.
Mr Hammond announced on Wednesday morning that the tax hike would not go ahead after it provoked widespread outrage and concern, particularly among backbench Tory MPs.
The Chancellor stunned MPs when he told them the first person who pointed out the changes conflicted with a Conservative general election pledge was Laura Kuenssberg.
The Chancellor set out his reasons for the Budget U-turn in a statement to MPs in the Commons.
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Former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond asked Mr Hammond whether it had been him or Theresa May who first realised the plans contradicted their own manifesto pledge not to increase NICs.
Mr Hammond replied: "Since you asked me the question who first raised the issue of the manifesto, I think, credit where credit is due, I think it was actually Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC, shortly after I said it in the Budget speech."
Senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper prompted widespread laughter when she asked Mr Hammond whether nobody in Downing Street realised the potential issue.
She said: "Can I just confirm the slightly astonishing thing that the Chancellor just said a few moments ago, that the first person to raise with him the Tory manifesto was the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg?
"Could he confirm that, in fact, nobody in Number 10 and nobody in Number 11 actually checked the Conservative manifesto before he wrote the Budget?"
Mr Hammond replied: "Let me be clear, I didn't say that, let me be clear: I think Laura Kuenssberg was the first person after I spoke to raise the issue outside."
Mr Salmond also asked Mr Hammond if the Tories intended to include the shelved NICs proposals in the party's 2020 general election manifesto.
He said: "If manifestos are now paramount and all parties must seek to implement their manifesto, will the Chancellor confirm, since he intends to go ahead with these changes, that they will appear in the Conservative manifesto at the next election so the self-employed can vote accordingly?"
Mr Hammond replied: "I have made a statement today about the Government's intentions for the remainder of this parliament: no National Insurance Contribution rate increases for the remainder of this parliament.
"I am not making a statement about the Conservative Party's manifesto for the next general election.
"You will have to contain yourself for a moment on that particular issue."
Labour's John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness) said: "Can we just be clear, is he saying he wasn't aware he was breaking his own manifesto until the BBC pointed it out, or that he was aware and was just hoping no-one noticed?"
Mr Hammond replied: "Neither."
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Andy Slaughter, Labour MP for Hammersmith, said: "Unlike some of my honourable friends, I can readily understand why the Chancellor resisted reading the Tory manifesto until Laura Kuenssberg drew his attention to it last week."
Tory Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) joked: "May I thank (Mr Hammond) for reacting so quickly to representations made to him by colleagues and, indeed, by Laura Kuenssberg."
Mr Salmond, raising a point of order, joked: "Could I suggest, as another emergency measure, Laura Kuenssberg of the BBC is brought into the Cabinet so they can get it right first time round."
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