Top Civil Servant Embroiled in Row Over Sunak’s £2,000 Tax Claim in TV Debate

The Conservatives have defended Prime Minister Rishi Sunak—who claimed during Tuesday night’s debate Labour would put up taxes by £2,000 per household if it won the election—after the intervention of a senior civil servant. James Bowler, the permanent secretary to the Treasury, wrote a letter earlier this week in which he said ministers should avoid suggesting civil servants had provided figures used in party political campaigns. Five million people watched the head-to-head debate on ITV on Tuesday night—including those who watched it on the ITVX streaming service—during which Mr. Sunak repeatedly used the £2,000 figure. The claim is based on a document produced by the Conservative government, which estimated the cost of each of Labour’s policies....