Education Secretary failed to squash rumours of Cabinet rifts (Image: Getty)

       Bridget Phillipson failed to squash rumours of rifts between Cabinet colleagues over Rachel Reeves’s looming tax hikes and spending cuts.

       The Education Secretary admitted “there are lots of conversations happening right now across Government”.

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       Rachel Reeves planning up to ￡40bn of tax rises and spending cuts in Budget

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       Rachel Reeves is using 'bogus' ￡40bn blackhole to hike up taxes

       Comments

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       Comments

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       Warning over Rachel Reeves' National Insurance worker pension 'tax on jobs'

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       'Unacceptable!' One in five pension credit claims not processed within target timeframe

       Comments

       Shocking number of OAPs fear Labour's cold weather cash grab will see their health suffer

       Comments

       Keir Starmer issued blunt warning that latest ‘￡18bn tax raid' will backfire spectacularly

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       Several senior ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Transport Secretary Louise Haigh and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood are understood to be concerned over Treasury proposals to cut departmental spending plans by as much as 20 per cent next year.

       Speaking on Sky News on Thursday morning, she said: "A little under a fortnight and the Chancellor will be setting out her Budget statement to the House of Commons.

       "There are some difficult choices that we're all having to confront. The last Conservative government left a terrible mess around the public finances, a big black hole, and we need to fix the foundations of our economy."

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       Rachel Reeves is facing fury over spending cuts and tax hikes (Image: Getty)

       Asked about reports that some ministers are unhappy with the cuts their departments may need to make, Ms Phillipson said: "We've all had conversations, meetings, correspondence as part of the usual Budget process.

       "I'm not going to get into a discussion about meetings or private conversations that we have both within Cabinet and as part of our Cabinet responsibilities, that wouldn't be a responsible thing to do."

       She added: "As part of that process we as Cabinet ministers have conversations with the Treasury, with others, in order to get to a good settlement model. That's absolutely as it should be, that's all part of the normal way of doing things."

       Asked whether the budget for education is protected, she said: "Education is always a priority for Labour governments.

       "What I'd say to you is you don't have too long to wait to hear the Chancellor announce her Budget in ... just under a fortnight, so I'm afraid everyone's going to have to wait until October 30 to see exactly what's in the Budget."

       Whitehall sources suggested much of the ￡40bn Ms Reeves is hoping to find would come through tax rises.

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       And the boss of one of Britain’s largest investment platforms warned Britons are pulling more cash from their pensions as they fear tax rises in the Budget,

       AJ Bell chief executive Michael Summersgill said savers were increasing their tax-free cash withdrawals from their pensions ahead of the Chancellor’s speech on October 30.

       Under present rules, savers can usually take up to 25pc of the amount built up in any pension as a tax-free lump sum, up to a limit of ￡268,275.

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       583 Comments

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       40 Comments

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       508 Comments

       'Unacceptable!' One in five pension credit claims not processed within target timeframe

       33 Comments

       Shocking number of OAPs fear Labour's cold weather cash grab will see their health suffer

       11 Comments

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       91 Comments

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       120 Comments

       Emotional Jeremy Vine pensioner rages 'Keir Starmer is trying to kill me off'

       4 Comments

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       828 Comments

       Rachel Reeves gives biggest hint yet on what she's plotting to fill UK '￡22bn black hole'

       461 Comments

       National Insurance tax raid warning as expert warns Rachel Reeves could close 'loophole'

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       20 Comments

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       721 Comments

       Rachel Reeves is using 'bogus' ￡40bn blackhole to hike up taxes

       68 Comments

       Labour civil war as Rachel Reeves battles cabinet members over UK's ￡100bn black hole

       1541 Comments

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       1572 Comments

       Robert Jenrick issues blistering takedown of Labour's 'biggest betrayal'

       35 Comments

       Warning over Rachel Reeves' National Insurance worker pension 'tax on jobs'

       3 Comments

       Keir Starmer squirms as BBC reporter grills him over new tax hike threat

       583 Comments

       Rachel Reeves warned "jobs tax" will destroy business confidence

       40 Comments

       Labour civil war as MPs make plea to Rachel Reeves over winter fuel raid

       508 Comments

       'Unacceptable!' One in five pension credit claims not processed within target timeframe

       33 Comments

       Shocking number of OAPs fear Labour's cold weather cash grab will see their health suffer

       11 Comments

       Keir Starmer issued blunt warning that latest ‘￡18bn tax raid' will backfire spectacularly

       91 Comments

       Rachel Reeves is poised to launch the biggest Budget tax raid in history which will involve as much as ￡35 billion of tax rises – the most on record in cash terms – as she protects her commitment to ending “austerity” and attempts to ensure departments avoid real-terms cuts in spending.

       Mr Summersgill said: “Pensions are the primary retirement savings vehicle in the UK and customers are unsurprisingly sensitive to changes in their tax treatment.

       “Amidst increased press coverage ahead of the upcoming Budget, we have seen a noticeable change in both customer contributions to pensions and tax-free cash withdrawals.”