Labour is engaging in a "class war" by insisting that it wants to help 'working people' when it means the 'working classes', former Conservative Chancellor Lord Lamont has said.
The peer - who was Norman Lamont was Chancellor from 1990 to 1993 - told Chopper's Political Podcast that Labour were "not above stirring up a bit of hatred now and then" ahead of next week's Budget which is set to include large tax rises.
Lamont also expressed his "astonishment" at the apparent absence of business experience among Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet and said the Government appeared to be "desperate to find revenue" by removing benefits from pensioners.
He said: "I dislike this phrase working people - not just because of its ambiguity, but I think it's deliberately designed to imply working class, which I think is an out-of-date idea, and it's appealing to old fashioned Labour mythology.
"And I think it's a very unpleasant term to talk about working people. Why is a pensioner not a working person? They've worked all their life. It's ridiculous."
Asked if the party is engaging in a form of class warfare, he added: "I think it is a bit of a class war thing, although I have noticed it's also a term that's been used by the Democrats in America."
Lamont - who served in the Treasury under Major as well as Margaret Thatcher - added that he shared Labour's hope to create "a meritocracy society where everybody can achieve their ambition", but he added: "Sometimes I feel the party of brotherhood and compassion is sort of not above stirring up a degree of hatred now and again."
Lamont also took aim at the lack of business experience among Sir Keir Starmer's top team. He said: "I'm more worried about the fact that they're inexperienced.
"I was astonished to find not in him and no one in the cabinet who's ever started a business or had any commercial experience, but none of them have worked in the private sector, as I understand it."
Asked if he felt the Government was targeting pensioners, he said: "Well it's certainly I'm sure the government would deny it hotly, but it certainly doesn't look very they're just desperate to find revenue.
"The reality of, as I see it, what the Government are trying to do is actually to increase public expenditure, and they want to find an excuse for putting up taxes to do that."
A Labour spokesman told GB News: “The Tories left a £22billion blackhole in the public finances and it’s this Labour government fixing their mess.
“Labour’s Budget will fix the foundations of our economy and deliver the change people voted for.”
Listen to Chopper's Political Podcast on Apple podcasts or Spotify, or watch it on GBNews.com
Find Out More...
The peer - who was Norman Lamont was Chancellor from 1990 to 1993 - told Chopper's Political Podcast that Labour were "not above stirring up a bit of hatred now and then" ahead of next week's Budget which is set to include large tax rises.
Lamont also expressed his "astonishment" at the apparent absence of business experience among Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet and said the Government appeared to be "desperate to find revenue" by removing benefits from pensioners.
He said: "I dislike this phrase working people - not just because of its ambiguity, but I think it's deliberately designed to imply working class, which I think is an out-of-date idea, and it's appealing to old fashioned Labour mythology.
"And I think it's a very unpleasant term to talk about working people. Why is a pensioner not a working person? They've worked all their life. It's ridiculous."
Asked if the party is engaging in a form of class warfare, he added: "I think it is a bit of a class war thing, although I have noticed it's also a term that's been used by the Democrats in America."
Lamont - who served in the Treasury under Major as well as Margaret Thatcher - added that he shared Labour's hope to create "a meritocracy society where everybody can achieve their ambition", but he added: "Sometimes I feel the party of brotherhood and compassion is sort of not above stirring up a degree of hatred now and again."
Lamont also took aim at the lack of business experience among Sir Keir Starmer's top team. He said: "I'm more worried about the fact that they're inexperienced.
"I was astonished to find not in him and no one in the cabinet who's ever started a business or had any commercial experience, but none of them have worked in the private sector, as I understand it."
Asked if he felt the Government was targeting pensioners, he said: "Well it's certainly I'm sure the government would deny it hotly, but it certainly doesn't look very they're just desperate to find revenue.
"The reality of, as I see it, what the Government are trying to do is actually to increase public expenditure, and they want to find an excuse for putting up taxes to do that."
A Labour spokesman told GB News: “The Tories left a £22billion blackhole in the public finances and it’s this Labour government fixing their mess.
“Labour’s Budget will fix the foundations of our economy and deliver the change people voted for.”
Listen to Chopper's Political Podcast on Apple podcasts or Spotify, or watch it on GBNews.com
Find Out More...