Labour minister skewered on BBC Breakfast over Budget - 'breach of trust'

A Cabinet minister faced a grilling on BBC Breakfast over speculation Rachel Reeves could tear up Labour's manifesto tax pledges at her Budget. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson was asked how voters who backed Labour at the last election would trust the party again.

It comes as the Chancellor could break Labour's manifesto promise not to hike income tax, national insurance or VAT in her upcoming statement. Ms Phillipson said: "Where it comes to our manifesto, of course, we take the commitments we made seriously.

"And as the Chancellor was saying yesterday, we know that there are some big challenges in the economy. We've made lots of changes already that are putting things on a more stable footing.

"That's why we've seen interest rate cuts, we've seen growth being the fastest in the G7 in the first half of the year.

"But there are some big global factors that remain a challenge, and that's why we will do what's what's right, what's necessary, both for the public but also for the long-term future of our economy."

Pressed again on if it would be a breach of trust, she added: "I'm afraid you are asking me to speculate with that question as you're presuming something has or hasn't happened, you know I can't do that."

It comes after the Chancellor laid the groundwork for major tax hikes at her Budget in a speech yesterday.

Ms Reeves warned that everyone will "have to contribute" to securing the country's economic future.

She fuelled speculation as she would not commit to Labour's manifesto promises not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT.

But the Tories urged her to resign if she goes ahead with raising taxes on November 26.