MOANING ministers demanding more Budget cash have been warned by Downing Street: It’s time to get real.
Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are facing a major backlash.
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Senior colleagues wrote to Sir Keir over slashing their spending by up to a fifth.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Transport Secretary Louise Haigh have all raised concerns about cuts to their budgets.
The PM’s spokesman said: “Not every department will be able to do everything they want to.
“There will be tough decisions taken, there will be tough conversations.
“But ultimately this Government has been very clear that it will fix the foundations, it will fix the position in relation to the public finances.”
Downing Street added departments need to be “more productive” rather than ask for more cash.
The Treasury has made its spending submissions to the Office for Budget Responsibility for scrutiny.
Some departments are still understood to be negotiating with the Treasury but only small tweaks are now possible.
The Chancellor is having to plug a £40billion shortfall, which includes the £22billion black hole, as she tries to avoid a return to austerity.
Businesses have raised concerns as ministers have all but paved the way for employers’ national insurance to be hiked.
The PM declined to rule out the move insisting it would not breach their election promise as it is “very clear in the manifesto we wouldn’t be increasing tax on working people”.
The Chancellor is also expected to raise capital gains tax on share sales rather than second homes.
Meanwhile, the failure to carry out a full assessment of her decision to axe OAPs’ winter fuel allowance has been condemned.
The social security committee is demanding an urgent review of its impact.
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