The Conservatives have said Rachel Reeves is responsible for Britain’s economic problems, after she appeared to indicate tax rises will be included in the Budget later this month.
Speaking at Treasury questions in the Commons, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, Richard Fuller said: “After last year’s budget, the Chancellor said she had wiped the slate clean. But that wasn’t true Chancellor, was it? She said I’m not coming back with more taxes. But that wasn’t true Chancellor, was it?
“At the election, the Chancellor said she would not raise taxes on working people, but that wasn’t true either, was it Chancellor?
“When will the Chancellor learn the truth? That she is not a commentator on the country’s economic problems, she is the cause.”
Reeves said Labour had found a £22bn black hole when the party arrived in Government, and said the reserve for emergencies had been spent four times over three months into the financial year.
In a response that was cut short by Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Reeves said: “That is the reality.
“We increased taxes in the budget last year to stabilise the public finances and to put a much-needed injection of cash into our public services, principally our National Health Service.
“Since then anyone can see the big challenges facing the world, but also the productivity that never materialised under the past government.”
