A significant majority of the British public believes Chancellor Rachel Reeves has broken a key Labour Party promise by raising taxes on working people in last week's Budget, according to a new poll.
Public Opinion Turns Against Chancellor
Polling conducted by More In Common on the 26th and 27th of November has delivered a stark verdict. It found that 67 per cent of voters believe the Government has breached its pre-election pledge not to increase taxes on workers. This overwhelming sentiment stands in sharp contrast to the less than one in five—just 16 per cent—who think the Chancellor has kept her party's central promise.
The controversy stems from measures announced in the Budget last Wednesday. Ms Reeves confirmed a freeze on income tax thresholds for a further three years, extending the freeze until 2031. This 'stealth' tax raid is projected to pull millions more Britons into higher tax brackets as their earnings rise with inflation.
Defence, Row, and Rising Doubts
The Chancellor has defended the move, insisting it does not represent a breach of Labour's manifesto. She argued the party was 'very clear' that its pledge not to hike income tax, National Insurance, or VAT related specifically to the 'rates' of those taxes, not the thresholds.
However, this defence has been engulfed by a furious political row over whether she misled the public about the state of the public finances to justify the tax rises. The polling indicates this dispute is severely damaging her standing with the electorate.
In further bad news for Ms Reeves, the survey of 1,507 British adults reveals deep pessimism about the Budget's impact:
- Nearly seven in 10 (69%) believe their personal taxes will rise.
- 65 per cent say the cost of living will increase because of her package, with only 6 per cent believing it will decrease.
- 62 per cent think they will have to cut back on their spending.
- Half of those surveyed (51%) fear their quality of life will get worse.
Calls for Change and Spending Priorities
The political fallout appears severe. The poll found that half of all voters think Ms Reeves should be replaced as Chancellor before the next Budget. Only 23 per cent believe it is likely she will still be in the role for next year's fiscal event, while 51 per cent predict she will have been replaced by then. Merely 18 per cent think it would be better for the country if she remained at the Treasury.
Public appetite for the Chancellor's approach, which unveiled £30 billion of tax rises largely to fund increased benefits spending, seems low. Following the Budget, the proportion of Britons who would prefer spending cuts over tax hikes rose by 5 points. Now, a striking 72 per cent would prefer the Government to cut spending on public services rather than increase taxes on working people.
The data paints a picture of a Chancellor facing a profound crisis of public confidence after a Budget that has sparked widespread belief that a core election promise has been abandoned.
