Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been given a further challenge as government borrowing soared by a quarter to a higher-than-expected £24.3 billion last month after record debt interest costs, official figures have shown.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said borrowing was £4.9 billion higher than a year earlier, to reach the second highest April level on record – surpassed only during the Covid pandemic era, when borrowing was sent rocketing.
