Reeves's own words suggest she broke manifesto pledge

The chancellor was on the morning media rounds yesterday claiming that, technically, she has not broken the manifesto promise not to raise income tax, VAT or national insurance contributions “for working people”.

- DAVID MADDOX POLITICAL EDITOR

Rachel Reeves’s argument is that, because the rates themselves have remained the same, she has kept her word - despite the fact that hundreds of thousands more people will end up paying higher income tax due to fiscal drag.

The manifesto said: “Labour will not increase taxes on working people, which is why we will not increase national insurance, the basic, higher, or additional rates of income tax, or VAT.”

Pressed on whether she broke that manifesto promise, she responded: “I do recognise that yesterday, I have asked working people to contribute a bit more by freezing those thresholds for a further three years from 2028. I do recognise that that will mean that working people pay a bit more.”

Pressed again on whether Labour had broken the manifesto pledge not to raise taxes on working people, she said: “If you go on to read the next line, it talks about the rates. But I am not denying that this has an impact on working people.”