Shadow chancellor to unveil Tory plans to cut taxes and regulations

Image source, PA MediaByRichard WheelerPolitical reporterPublished4 October 2026Updated 1 hour agoConservative shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith is to outline his plans for the UK economy, including hopes to cut taxes, red tape and house-building costs.

Griffith and his colleagues will also use day two of the party's conference in Birmingham to explain how they would want to reduce food costs, support Heathrow Airport expansion, and abolish Natural England and the Environment Agency.

Another prospective policy is replacing agreements designed to compel developers to fund community projects and services in areas they want to build.

Griffith will describe his approach as the "most ambitious deregulation project in a generation". Reform UK suggested the Tories were "copying our policies".

Griffith's speech comes after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch published a 100-page document, external explaining her guiding principles and how her party would act should it return to government by winning the next general election.

Following their historic defeat in the 2024 general election, the Conservatives have been trying to rebuild and convince voters that they can be trusted again.

The Tories have faced repeated attacks from their opponents for their record in government, including on the economy, between 2010 and 2024.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Griffith said infrastructure development was key to his plan, throwing his support behind the expansion of Heathrow airport.

"Someone, sooner or later, has to get serious about getting this country growing again," he said.

"It's a national embarrassment that we can't get that third runway built - we've said we will get full square behind that and the government should do that right now.

"Whether it's reservoirs or reactors we need a system of getting infrastructure in this country that really works."

Pressed on whether he would keep the pensions triple lock, which Prime Minister Andy Burnham has proposed changing, he said: "We are going to keep it."