Chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves delivered her pre-budget speech yesterday (Tuesday 4 November), outlining the “challenges” the government is facing.
Outside of Downing Street, Rachel Reeves gave a speech hinting at what to expect from the upcoming Autumn budget.
She reafirmed her commitment to protecting the NHS, reducing debt, and lowering the cost of living.
However, she hinted at the possibility of tax rises, something may have been fearing leading up to the budget.
Rachel Reeves was asked by Sky News political editor Beth Rigby if she would stand by Labour’s manifestio promises not to raise income tax, national insurance, or VAT.
In response, Reeves said: “Your viewers can see the challenges that we face, the challenges on a global nature, and they can also see the challenges in the long-term performance of our economy.
“As chancellor, I have to face the world as it is, not the world as I want it to be. And when challenges come our way, the only question is how to respond to them, not whether to respond or not.
“As I respond at the budget on 26 November, my focus will be on getting NHS waiting lists down, getting the cost of living down and also getting the national debt down.”
Reeves also backed the government’s welfare reform decisions and highlighted improvements in NHS waiting lists, expanded breakfast clubs, and military funding as successes for Labour so far.
She criticised previous governments for favouring short-term convenience over long-term stability for the country.
Reeves promised a Budget focused on growth and fairness, stressing that difficult decisions now would benefit the country in the long term.
Whilst Reeves focused largely on the NHS in her speech, solidifying it as a priority for reform, no mention of social care was made.
This will no doubt increase worries already being shared by social care providers over the sector being forgetten in health reform with the government’s push to transform the NHS.
