Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves attempted to defend her budget decisions as a Sky News reporter asked her: "How, in good conscience, can you stay on in your job?" Surrounded by nurses, Reeves was holding a post-budget news conference when the question arose as the reporter pointed out she was extending the freeze on tax thresholds. However, they reminded her that during Budget 2024, she had said that extending the threshold freeze would hurt working people and would take more money out of their paychecks.

"In the manifesto, we were very clear it was the rates of income tax, National Insurance and VAT," Reeves insisted. "But I'm not going to get into semantics. I recognise that we are asking people to contribute more by freezing those allowances. They were already frozen by the previous government from 2021 to 2028, and we're freezing them for a further three years." She acknowledged: "I do recognise that I was asking ordinary people to pay a little bit more, but I've managed to keep that contribution as low as I possibly can by closing loopholes and asking those with the broadest shoulders to pay more. That's why there will be a surcharge on properties worth more than £2 million. It's why we're increasing taxes on savings, dividends and property income.

"It's why, as well, we're getting a grip of some of the waste and inefficiency in the welfare budget by taking luxury cars out of Motability, and more face-to-face assessments for disability benefits. So we keep that contribution from working people as low as possible," she reiterated. "And this year and in the years going forward, we're taking £150 a year off of people, energy bills for all families, working families and pensioners. And we're able to do that by removing those levies from people's bills," she said.

Viewers were not happy with her response, taking to the comments on X to make their feelings known. "How on earth can she keep a straight face - must have practised hard in front of the mirror at No 11," one wrote. "Asking? We don't get a choice. She's broken manifesto pledges, which means she has done things she has no mandate for with no reasonable excuse. She has to go," another fumed.

A third raged: "'Pay a little bit more'. But they'll knock £150 off the annual energy bill, great! I'd definitely prefer to have the extra money I pay in tax in my account."

However, Reeves did have some defenders. "I'm happy to pay a little more to help the less fortunate. How mean is Sky to target Rachel here? This world has changed, and the Tories tied their hands under Sunak, saying they would not increase these taxes, so Labour had to match. Not great, but it got them in power, so the Tories are the issue," one shared.

Reeves went on to blame the previous government for the decisions she made in the budget. "...If you are asking, does this have a cost for working people. I acknowledge it does. I said that in the budget last year. I'm not going to pretend otherwise today, but I do think that is the right decision in the circumstances we face.

"The OPR have today revised down their estimates of productivity and growth by nought point three percentage points. They say that it will take out £16 billion of tax revenue we would otherwise have brought in.

"And they are very clear that it is not because of any decision that this government has taken in the last 16 months. It is what has happened in the previous 14 years: Brexit, the pandemic, and, frankly, the austerity and chaos of the previous government.

"We're all having to pay a price for that, and it's my job to make sure that the numbers add up so that we can ensure we grow our economy, keep interest rates falling and keep inflation down as well."