Rachel Reeves has indicated she is willing to break Labour’s election pledges by raising income tax for the first time in half a century, prioritising what she called 'the national interest over political expediency.' Addressing reporters in Downing Street, Reeves warned that 'we will all have to contribute' to stabilise the economy and repair a £30 billion deficit. She is considering a 2p increase in income tax coupled with a 2p cut in national insurance, shifting the burden from workers to pensioners and landlords. The proposal, expected to raise £6 billion annually, has divided Labour MPs: some warn it risks alienating voters, while others praise Reeves for taking tough, necessary decisions. Critics from the Conservatives and Reform UK accuse her of breaking promises and 'hammering working people’. Reeves insisted she will not walk away, saying she was appointed to turn Britain’s economy around and will finish the job despite political risk.