Sir Keir Starmer is facing intense political pressure after Downing Street admitted he approved Rachel Reeves’s disputed claims about a supposed “black hole” in the public finances.
Critics say the Chancellor misled voters by insisting that Britain faced a £30 billion fiscal gap and warning of the need for painful tax rises in the November Budget. Number 10 has now confirmed the Prime Minister was aware of the figures behind her speech — including official forecasts showing her fiscal rules would still be met and that the Office for Budget Responsibility’s productivity downgrade had not created a deficit.
