#budget-leaks

#budget-leaks

The prime minister has said he will "get to the bottom" of where damaging leaks about the Budget and against his Cabinet are coming from. Last week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves told MPs that pre-Budget leaks suggesting she had abandoned plans to increase income tax rates were "unauthorised" and there was an inquiry under way. Sir Keir Starmer told the Liaison Committee, a parliamentary committee made up of every select committee chair, that he did not believe the leaks were coming from inside his own office.

Former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme this was "the single biggest reason why [economic] growth has flatlined". In response, Alexander said there was always speculation in the run-up to Budgets but the chancellor had been clear about her priorities. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is widely expected to increase taxes in her Budget on Wednesday to help fill a multibillion-pound gap in her spending plans.