Rachel Reeves insists tax on working people kept at ‘absolute minimum’ at Budget

The Chancellor struck a defiant tone, saying: ‘You’re not going to write my obituary,’ a day after her statement.

Rachel Reeves has insisted taxes have been kept at “an absolute minimum on ordinary working people”, even as an influential think tank said low-to-middle earners would have been better off with their tax rates rising than their thresholds being frozen.

The defiant-sounding Chancellor also defended her position, saying: “You’re not going to write my obituary today,” after delivering a Budget she was “incredibly proud” of.

Her decisions put Britain on course for a record tax burden as she hiked levies by £26 billion after weaker economic forecasts left holes in her previous spending plans.

The increases are also needed to pay for increased welfare spending, with Ms Reeves ann