Don't make pensioners scapegoats, Reeves told

TARGETED TAX RISE FEARS

- CHRISTIAN CALGIE Senior Political Correspondent

PENSIONERS must not be made the scapegoat for Rachel Reeves's economic failures, campaigners have warned ahead of a speech by the Chancellor today.

Ms Reeves will reveal her priorities for this month's Budget and address mounting speculation about plans to break her manifesto commitment on income tax.

She is expected to admit her 2024 Budget failed to fix the economy's foundations, and is now coming back for more.

Ms Reeves will say: "You will all have heard a lot of speculation about the choices I will make. I understand that - these are important choices that will shape our economy for years to come.

"But it is important that people understand the circumstances we are facing, the principles guiding my choices - and why I believe they will be the right choices for the country."

RUMOURED

However, the Chancellor was issued a stark warning not to balance the books on the back of pensioners amid talk of a 2p hike in income tax.

Dennis Reed, of over-60s campaign group Silver Voices, told the Express the rumoured rise would "hammer the large majority of pensioners".