I WAS WRONG TO SAY THAT I WOULDN'T PUT UP TAXES

RACHEL Reeves provoked further Budget anger after admitting she was wrong to state during the election campaign that taxes would not have to rise.

- Martyn Brown

The Chancellor was hit by a backlash to her £40billion tax grab, having pledged in June that the only increases needed were in Labour's manifesto.

She denied party chiefs held secret talks before the vote about raising national insur ance, claiming she had made her mind up afterwards when Treasury officials showed her the "true state of the finances". Ms Reeves admitted more than once in TV interviews yesterday that she was wrong to say in June that she would not introduce new taxes, claiming it was because she did not know "everything" at that time.

But critics tore into her stance last night.

The former Tory MP Marco Longhi declared: "She basically lied to the country." While Shadow Culture Secretary Julia Lopez said: "Last week the Chancellor delivered a Budget which broke Labour's promises. It was dishonest and as Labour have admitted - it will make people poorer. Labour's political choices to impose a tax on working people, local GP services, care homes and introduce a family farm tax were nowhere to be seen in their manifesto.

Courage

"That is because [Sir Keir] Starmer and Reeves did not have the courage to be honest with people during the election. We are clear: these are Labour's choices and Labour's choices alone." Ms Reeves also defended increasing taxes for employers, while saying that she is "not immune" to the criticism she has received.