Labour minister claims Budget will be ‘most honest’ in years

Labour minister Pat McFadden clashed with BBC Radio 4’s Emma Barnett over the definition of “working people” as he predicted that this week’s Budget would be the “most honest” in years.

The Today programme host accused the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster of “not being honest” as she said he could not answer her questions on who working people are.

Labour faces a row over reported plans to raise employer national insurance contributions and capital gains, with critics arguing this would breach the party’s commitment to not raise taxes on “working people.”

Mr McFadden said: “I think you’re going to get the most honest Budget on Wednesday that you’ve had in many years.

“We’re going to end the fiscal fiction of things being announced which had no money set aside for them.”