The Sunday Times
27 October 2024
Rachel Reeves’s Halloween budget: taxes and even bus fares up
According to a poll by the think tank More in Common, 71 per cent of voters are pessimistic about the budget. The top words used to describe how people feel about the budget are “worried”, “nervous”, and “apprehensive”.
The public’s key test for the government is fixing the NHS, but at this budget 54 per cent said the priority should be keeping taxes low compared with 31 per cent who prioritise investing in public services. The public rejects the “tough choices” narrative: 56 per cent believe Reeves can avoid both tax rises and spending cuts in the budget, despite government warnings — creating a dangerous expectation gap.