Charlotte Hawkins silenced James Murray as she probed him on Labour breaking promises. The treasury minister appeared on Friday’s (March 28) instalment of Good Morning Britain, just two days after Rachel Reeves announced her spring statement. The chancellor announced welfare cuts worth £4.8 billion, which could plunge around 250,000 people into poverty. It has now been predicted that Ms Reeves will likely increase taxes in the Autumn.

Asked if tax rises in the Autumn are inevitable, Mr Murray, 41, refused to answer, responding: “Well I’m not going to write future budgets here on air but we know that tax and spending changes are not the only way to strengthen the public finances.” The MP insisted Labour’s main focus is economic growth and said The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) was clear that the planning changes the government is implementing are the “real deal”. “They said planning changes will increase the number of houses being built, the size of the economy and will put more money into the public finances,” the politician explained.

He believes this means the public finances will be in a stronger position, reiterating the government’s focus on economic growth.

But Hawkins, 49, hit back: “You’re pinning everything on growth but the growth forecast has been cut.” He urged the newsreader to look ahead to 2026, explaining the growth forecast will be increased due to the changes the government is making to the planning system.

The Labour MP explained that as a result, the average person will be £500 better off at the end of this parliament than they would have been under the Conservatives.

Hawkins hit back with figures, saying: “The Joseph Rowntree Foundation say that living standards are set to fall across the rest of the decade. The average family will be £750 worse off in real times by April 2029.”

The presenter reminded Mr Murray of how Labour pledged to keep more money in people’s pockets as she issued a scathing seven-word claim: “This doesn’t seem to be the case.”

Mr Murray suggested they should look at what the OBR said, adding: “They were very clear that they are forecasting greater economic growth from 2026 onwards and as a result of that, there will be £500 more in people’s pockets.”

The broadcaster interjected: “If we’re looking at the picture come Autumn, when the budget’s being done, that means that you won’t have the growth then.”

The radio presenter then urged the politician to be honest and admit they will have to put taxes up. However, Mr Murray repeated his earlier remark about not rewriting budgets live on air, once again declaring that the government’s main focus is to grow the economy.