Bridget Phillipson says employees will not see higher taxes as Rachel Reeves prepares to deliver first Labour budget

Labour’s tax rises will not hit workers’ payslips, the education secretary has promised, as the government prepares to announce one of the most significant budgets in recent history next week.

Bridget Phillipson said on Sunday morning that the tax rises being planned by Rachel Reeves would not affect employees’ take-home pay, as ministers struggle to explain what was meant by their manifesto pledge not to increase taxes on “working people”.