Watch: Starmer denies ‘tax hikes’ for working people in pre-Budget speech

Sir Keir Starmer warns that Britain faces "unprecedented challenges" in a speech on Monday, 28 October, ahead of Labour's first budget for 14 years.

The prime minister's speech in the West Midlands — a region in which Labour swept away the Tories in the general election — comes amid widespread speculation that Rachel Reeves is set to raise taxes by between £25 billion to £40 billion.

Sir Keir will say that the country faces unprecedented challenges after the last government covered up the state of the public finances and crumbling public services:
“We have to be realistic about where we are as a country. This is not 1997, when the economy was decent but public services were on their knees. And it’s not 2010, where public services were strong, but the public finances were weak. These are unprecedented circumstances.

“And that’s before we even get to the long-term challenges ignored for fourteen years. An economy riddled with weakness on productivity and investment. A state that needs urgent modernisation to face down the challenge of a volatile world."

The chancellor is now expected to increase employer contributions to national insurance by 2 per cent despite promising not to increase national insurance in the Budget.

There are also expected to be hikes in inheritance tax and capital gains. Ms Reeves has pledged not to increase “taxes on working people” including income tax, employee contributions to national insurance or VAT.

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[jasonpalmer]

Uk half the population work hard to pay their own way, the other half work hard to get out of paying their own way.

[tonyburton]

The £1 increase on bus journeys is a stealth tax on the lowest earners in the country, this excuse for a human being should be sacked by the liebour MPs.

[tonyt]

He's a bigger liar than the Independent newspaper

[BEATDASYSTEM]

When he says ruff things he means hitting the poorest next pensions disabled

[Flight-of-Life]

Tax tax tax, tax tax tax oh and tax tax with some taxes sprinkled on top. Yay communism 🎉

[colinmacfarlane]

Creepy creepy creepy....he makes the skin crawl...by the way where is his missus? 😮

[MsMivvi]

People doing the right thing means kicking this charlatan out of office.

[vichitching]

He said what they have done to stop the gangs

[graemeshort]

How is he going to seed or make growth happen ?? TAX, TAX, TAX untill all the money is gone from the Surf's and the middle class won't do it but he knows that!!

[Dav]

Get him out who cares what you say now no confidence in this dictator

[BEATDASYSTEM]

He's for the working people JOKE stop paying for WARS all over the globe

[judithballard]

You may be interested in YouTube
"Elon Musk Reveals Why Elites WANT Mass Illegal Immigration" – Worth watching IMO.

[GarryGruby-fe]

Claire Starmer the £22 billion black hole is you doing that? Belongs to the labour party? So stop telling porkies because you’re Chancellor give it to the railway drivers and the young Doctors. Tell him porkies

[MarleneWalker-suku]

Where was the budget decided Davros or Westminster.Are there great benefits and incentives, to have your loyaties to Davros rather than Westminster the Parliament to which you were elected.Was Sir Kier elected to Davros, what intentions do Davros have for the British people.After Sir Kier is gone as British Prime Minister wiil there be continued benefits for himself, having served their interests in the "United Kingdom".I do hope he does rather well out of it, having put in so much hard work.I hope they look after him like his other friends look after him with generous gifts and donations.I wouldn't want such an honest loyal and caring leader to go unrewarded.