Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has admitted he has not bought a present or even a card for his wife, who celebrated her birthday on the day he delivered his first Autumn Statement.
Mr Hunt announced it was his wife Lucia Guo's big day as he opened his hotly anticipated statement speech on Wednesday.
"Mr Speaker, I come today with good news," he began. "It's my wife's birthday, and unlike me she's looking younger every year."
His words were met with cheers and laughter, while the Chancellor quickly shifted gear, saying: "I turn to the statement..."
Mr Hunt revealed on Thursday he has not bought his wife of 14 years – with whom he has three children – a gift or card this year, adding he feels "incredibly guilty".
“I’m afraid I have not bought anything for my wife," he told LBC Radio during a morning media round. "I didn’t even get her a birthday card. I feel incredibly guilty.
“What I did was publicly acknowledge her birthday to millions of people, which is something I haven’t done before. So, hopefully I will be able to make up for that at the weekend.”
The headline measure announced by Mr Hunt on Wednesday was a bigger-than-expected cut in National Insurance, from 12 per cent to 10 per cent in a bid to kick-start economic growth in Britain. The move will affect 27 million working people and come into effect from January.
Mr Hunt vowed on Wednesday to “reward” workers as he cut business and personal taxes in a dash for economic growth ahead of a likely election next year.
“Our plan for the British economy is working, but the work is not done,” he told the Commons, promising “110 different growth measures” in his package.
But the Chancellor made no mention of any further help from the Government to offset household energy bills, and Wednesday's statement was met by news on Thursday that household energy bills are set to rise in the New Year.
The industry regulator has raised the cap on gas and electricity prices by five per cent, meaning the average household's energy bill will go up by £94 to £1,928 from January 1 until the end of March.
