New deputy leader also calls on government to lift two-child benefit cap urgently and in full

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Lucy Powell, Labour’s new deputy leader, has said the government should stand by its manifesto commitment not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT, amid signs that it may be preparing to break that promise.

Powell, who left Keir Starmer’s cabinet in the reshuffle before being elected deputy leader last month, said the budget needed to be about putting more money, not less, into ordinary people’s pockets.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Powell said: “It’s really important we stand by the promises we were elected on and do what we said we would do.”