UK public finances show 22 billion-pound spending hole, says finance minister

Rachel Reeves has scrapped the social care cap and curbed winter fuel payments, as well as announcing big cuts to hospital and road projects, as she seeks to plug what she called a £22bn hole in public spending that was “covered up” by the Conservative government.

In a statement to the Commons that mixed detailed economics and partisan politics, the chancellor justified the cuts with the repeated mantra: “If we cannot afford it, we cannot do it.”

Announcing a date for the autumn budget of 30 October, Reeves warned it would “involve taking difficult decisions to meet our fiscal rules across spending, welfare and tax”, paving the way for likely tax increases.

[robinmyman]

Blame the last one in the job…boring…just get on with it…NB for the 13 years Bliar was in no 10 he borrowed every year and wouldn’t regulate the Banks.

[CC-nsds]

I voted because I’m a working class individual and now you tell me there’s a hole? Oh and let me guess we need either raise taxes or cut spending to address the deficit that has only just come to light?

[zmbie-wmble]

what a mess this country has been left in..so much waste

[BeverleyCarter-fqno]

How dare you, you never ever said about winter coat of living, , , , some of us have worked all our lifes, and live on the state pension and now Ur taking from us that have worked all our lifes, and get no benefits and now our winter fuel payment, shame on u😊

[yvettethornton]

The overspend is entirely due to the government's open borders policy, & the support they've given to outside interests like the Ukraine, so those are the areas which should be focussed on to reduce these costs, not stealing from pensioners who've spent their working lives paying taxes & losing loved one's to the governments pointless wars !

[davidgaston]

leave us pensioners alone we made our hard contribution in our hard working years your stealing from us

[betsyjones]

Well stop paying for the Ukraine war stop giving money to France for immigration stop giving money to Scotland for their free services

[Liebestod]

how many politicians are going to jail for this 22 billion spending hole?

[casperh]

The Tories have been embezzling public funds for years and giving it to their rich friends

[peterpenfold]

This is labour, low wages, and higher tax.

[Geoff-zcet]

Just pick a figure out of thin air.
Why not a 42 billion-pound spending hole ?
If you believe this women, you'll believe anything !

[stevewalsh-balshaw]

Those that have "worked" for a living all their lives who may be just above benefits levels suffer is this the start of the same old labour

[CC-nsds]

Where in the fu** does £22 Billion just disappear? Tory coke parties?

[siewheilou]

Why did she repeatedly say Mr. Speaker? Can someone explain this rule?

[stuartmckay]

First cut to pensioners winter fuel allowance to get o benefits you have to be on an income below £12500 anything above even like me on £13.000 won't get it ..can i claim asylum please i don't mind living in a 4/5 star hotel

[arikhanaalffie]

The Labour would not have won, TORY let them in 10 Downing, otherwise they would never have won, LABOUR IS NIGHTMARE FOR COUNTRY.

[jjefferyworboys]

The same figure was know in March, its not new !

[SwargKaBluewaterpeenahai]

british women says indian every job work government rbi have corrupted so all indian rupees are going to united kingdom

[audreydowning]

Vote for Tories get Labour out before it's gets worse because she scarped all our benefits