Hunt says Labour plotted ‘great tax betrayal’ all along as Rayner scraps ‘beauty’ rule from new homes – live

Shadow chancellor Jeremy Hunt has accused the Labour governmento of plotting a “great tax betrayal” after Rachel Reeves accused the him of “lying” about the state of public finances .

The Tory MP claimed the Sir Keir Starmer ’s government were planning to raise taxes “all along” but “they just didn’t have the courage to tell you”.

It comes as Rachel Reeves was accused of using the fierce attack that the Tories left £22bn hole in the public finances to justify tax rises .

The chancellor admitted the increases will come in the autumn Budget and insisted the government would stick to its promise not to hike national insurance , income tax or VAT, but former Tory chancellor Lord Hammond said the fierce accusations could be “preparing the pitch” for ditching Labour manifesto pledges.

Angela Rayner has removed the Tories’ beauty requirement from new planning rules for homes claiming that “beautiful means nothing really”.

The housing secretary has set up a new towns taskforce to local recommend sites will “to help decide on the right places for these new towns, delivering more homes, jobs and green spaces” as part of her radical reform to the country’s housing planning system.