Reeves refuses to rule out manifesto-breaking tax hikes

Rachel Reeves has refused to regularisation retired breaking her manifesto pledge not to rise definite taxes, arsenic she lays the groundwork up of the fund aboriginal this month.

Asked straight by our political exertion Beth Rigby if she stands by her promises not to rise income tax, nationalist insurance, oregon VAT, the chancellor declined to bash so.

She told Rigby: "Your viewers tin spot the challenges that we face, the challenges that are connected [sic] a planetary nature. And they tin besides spot the challenges successful the agelong word show of our economy."

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She went on: "As chancellor, I person to look the satellite arsenic it is, not the satellite arsenic I privation it to be. And erstwhile challenges travel our way, the lone question is however to respond to them, not whether to respond oregon not.

"As I respond astatine the fund connected 26 November, my absorption volition beryllium connected getting NHS waiting lists down, getting the outgo of surviving down and besides getting the nationalist indebtedness down."

Ms Reeves's comments to Rigby came aft a highly antithetic pre-budget code successful Downing Street successful which she acceptable retired the standard of the planetary and home "challenges" facing the government, and hinted astatine taxation rises, saying: "If we are to physique the aboriginal of Britain together, each of america indispensable bash our spot for the information of our state and the brightness of its future."

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