Claire Coutinho is the Tory MP for East Surrey, a place she has held since December 2019.
She has been the Secretary of State for Power Safety and Web Zero since August 31, 2023, changing Grant Shapps, and beforehand labored within the Division of Training and the Division for Work and Pensions.
Upon being appointed Power Safety secretary, she pledged to “work with the Prime Minister to safeguard our power safety, scale back payments for households, and construct cleaner, cheaper, homegrown power”.
“That’s what Labour don’t perceive although — you’ll be able to’t punish individuals to succeed in web zero — it’s important to take individuals with you.”
Earlier than changing into an MP, Coutinho labored at funding financial institution Merrill Lynch and later entered a profession in social justice coverage, working with former celebration chief Iain Duncan Smith.
She has a grasp’s diploma in Maths and Philosophy from Oxford. Her dad and mom, who’re from India, labored as GPs within the NHS.
What did Coutinho say concerning the Labour tax hike?
When requested by Mr Lewis if it was time to apologise for the tax hike declare, Ms Coutinho mentioned: “No completely not.
“What the letter says is that you could look on gov.uk and costings are accomplished by Authorities departments, the Treasury, and people are official costings.”
Mr Lewis responded: “The letter mentioned the determine getting used shouldn’t have been used and mentioned it got here from the Civil Service.
“That’s what the letter mentioned, I’ve bought it in black and white in entrance of me.”
However Mr Coutinho then mentioned: “Folks can look on-line. There may be an official doc on gov.uk which has been costed by Treasury officers which the letter confirms.
“And as I can say as somebody who used to work within the Treasury, Treasury officers don’t log off dodgy numbers. They’re very good individuals, they’re impartial, neutral civil servants.”
Supply hyperlink