Britain facing cuts after Reeves rules out tax raid
Britain is facing cuts after Rachel Reeves doubled down on her manifesto pledge not to raise taxes to fund Labour’s spending plans.In a speech in Manchester on Wednesday morning, the chancellor insisted Labour’s spending plans – set to be outlined next week – were “fully costed and fully funded” and that she would not need to raise income tax, VAT or employee national insurance contributions. But a major think tank has joined critics from within government to warn that the chancellor would have no choice but to make cuts to other public services. The Resolution Foundation said the government has increased departmental spending by almost £400bn since it came to power but pressures to increase health and defence spending will make it “hard to avoid cuts” to other public services. Reacting to Reeves’s speech, a senior Labour source added: “I suspect that means a lot of cuts.”An audience member looks unimpressed by Reeves’s speech More