Rachel Reeves denies lying to public in run-up to budget

Chancellor accused of misleading public about reasons for tax rises, with opposition MPs calling for her to resign

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Rachel Reeves has denied lying to the public in the buildup to last week’s budget, insisting that she needed to raise taxes to a record level to ensure economic stability.

The chancellor said on Sunday she had announced £26bn-worth of tax rises on Wednesday in part to build a buffer against her fiscal rules and reduce the risk of further tax increases in the future, and in part to protect public spending.