A FEW years ago, I remember allowing a slight smile to spread across my face as the then Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the caravan tax and the pasty tax.

Several weeks later the slight smile turned into a huge grin as the proposals were withdrawn due to the impracticality of collecting the tax.

This year I actually laughed out loud when the current Chancellor announced he was going to raise National Insurance contributions on self-employed people.

Exactly a week later I broke a few ribs due to my uncontrollable laughter as the Chancellor was dragged to the chamber to announced that he was not proceeding with his plan, saying it was breaking the Tory Party manifesto pledge not to increase taxes.

Talk about a u-turn. This was humiliation with a capital ‘H’. The warning signs are there for the Chancellor to see.

When the Prime Ministers states publicly that her Chancellor has her full confidence they are normally kicked unceremoniously out of office not long after.

The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, known as Spreadsheet Phil, should spread his wings and fly to a new job as soon as possible before he is booted out of office.

How are the Government planning to fill the £2 billion hole that is now left by his reversal of policy?

My guess is that the poor are probably going to become even poorer.

Surely the Tory motto should be “enrich the rich and decimate the poor”.

It appears that the Tories are in total disarray.

Howard Perry, St James Place, Dringhouses, York