Rachel Reeves (Image: BBC)

Defiant Rachel Reeves has struck back at claims she misled the public about the state of government finances prior to the Budget - insisting "of course I didn't".

The Chancellor argued her measures would deliver "the biggest ever reduction in child poverty in a Parliament ever" whilst defending her decision to increase taxes. She revealed she was confronted with a cushion of merely £4.2billion without taking action.

During Wednesday's Budget, Ms Reeves declared everyone must play their part as she unveiled £26billion worth of tax hikes. She maintained she had been "honest and frank about that" at the beginning of the month.

Speaking to the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, she said: "I said when I became Chancellor I would judge my time in office as a s

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