Jeremy Hunt wrote to Rachel Reeves yesterday to rule out any tax rises in her first budget: “Can you therefore confirm that, should Labour win the next general election, in your first fiscal event you will not include any tax rises beyond those set out in your manifesto?” Reeves’ spokesman offered no denial:

“It shows how desperate the Conservatives‘ campaign has got that they have asked Jeremy Hunt to come out of hiding and put his name to this nonsense. It’s time for change.”

The entirety of pressure within Labour is for hiking taxes and widening the tax base. Labour-linked think tanks are in favour of expansive rises. The Guardian reports that the Party has fully-formed proposals to increase capital gains tax and reform inheritance tax to make it more difficult to pass on farmland without paying tax. Both of which will have ruinous effects…

The Party did not rule out those proposals either. Just how many budgets it takes for Labour to give up its “growth” line and hike taxes remains to be seen…