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Rachel Reeves dodged a question about whether she would still be chancellor at the next general election after unveiling a package of £26bn tax hikes in the Budget.When asked whether she would still be in her position as income to the treasury from the tax rises would take effect after the country next goes to the polls, Reeves said: “It is often not possible to change those rates overnight. And of course, the thresholds are towards the end of the parliament because the Tories already froze them.”The tax hikes come as Ms Reeves battles a downgrade in forecast economic growth, delivered in a report by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published by mistake before the speech. More

The Deputy Speaker has condemned the government for extensively speaking to the media in the weeks leading up to the Budget.Addressing MPs before Rachel Reeves began her speech on Wednesday (26 November), Nusrat Ghani criticised the “disappointing” extensive media briefings in the past few weeks, which she labelled as “unprecedented”.Going on to reference the OBR leaks which occurred an hour before the Chancellor gave her speech, she said: “This all falls short of the standards that the House expects.”Reminding the government that announcements should be made in the chamber before they are given to the media, she said: “Like many, I expected better.” More

Rachel Reeves hit out at the “grotesque” rape clause tied to the two-child cap policy during her Budget speech.Speaking to the Commons on Wednesday (26 November), the Chancellor slammed the policy, which means a parent or carer has to prove a child was conceived non-consensually to receive a benefit.“I will not tolerate the grotesque indignity to women of the rape clause any longer. It is dehumanising. It is cruel,” she said.She said she would remove the two-child benefit cap from April, a move that will increase the benefits for 560,000 families by an average of £5,310, the OBR has calculated. More

Rachel Reeves made a jab at “hypnotherapist” Zack Polanski whilst announcing her Budget on Wednesday (26 November).Speaking in the Commons, the Chancellor said the Greens leader “believes he can achieve remarkable things using the power of his mind”.“Unfortunately the only things getting bigger under his approach would be the deficit and the rate of inflation,” she said as the chamber jeered.In September, Mr Polanski was forced to apologise for claiming to have been able to help women increase the size of their breasts using his mind. More

The Deputy Speaker has condemned the government for extensively speaking to the media in the weeks leading up to the Budget.Addressing MPs before Rachel Reeves began her speech on Wednesday (26 November), Nusrat Ghani criticised the “disappointing” extensive media briefings in the past few weeks, which she labelled as “unprecedented”.Going on to reference the OBR leaks which occurred on hour before the Chancellor gave her speech, she said: “This all falls short of the standards that the House expects.”Reminding the government that announcements should be made in the chamber before they are given to the media, she said: “Like many, I expected better.” More

Rachel Reeves vowed not to increase taxes in the Budget, a resurfaced clip shared by Kemi Badenoch shows.In the clip, dated 4 November 2024, the Chancellor told Sir Trevor Phillips on Sky News that the Labour government “doesn’t need to increase taxes further”.Sharing the footage on social media, Ms Badenoch said: “If she breaks that promise today, the Government will have lost what little credibility it had left. Nobody should ever trust them again.”On Wednesday (26 November), the Chancellor is expected to unveil a raft of tax hikes as she tries to plug an estimated £30billion black hole in public finances. More

Sir Keir Starmer participated in the viral 6-7 trend with primary school children during a visit to Peterborough.The prime minister and education secretary Bridget Phillipson discussed the importance of free school meals with pupils during a visit to Welland Academy, on Monday (24 November).During the visit, Sir Keir was reading with pupils when one pointed out they were on page 67. The prime minister then made the hand gesture that accompanies the reference, with the students quickly joining in.The teacher later jokingly told the prime minister off: “You know children get into trouble for saying that in school.” More

Rachel Reeves is “right” about misogyny in politics, James Cleverly said while discussing the “abuse” he has seen his female colleagues endure.Ahead of her Budget announcement, the chancellor told Labour MPs: “I don’t think even I had recognised the misogyny that still exists in public life.”Speaking to Times Radio on Tuesday (25 November), the former home secretary said he agreed with Ms Reeves’ observation, stating that “women, without a shadow of a doubt, get it a lot worse in politics”.He said that he used to think he “got it bad” but stories he has heard from female politicians makes “the abuse I’ve received in my career pale in comparison”. More