Jeremy Hunt says everyone will have to pay higher taxes - but richest will make larger sacrifices
The chancellor is due to give his autumn statement on Thursday, with tax rises and spending cuts expected. Public services, including the NHS, are not expected to get any increased funding despite nurses voting this week to strike over pay.
Mr. Hunt promised the autumn statement will "not just be bad news" but said he believes the public recognizes "if you want to give people confidence about the future you have to be honest about the present".
He said his plan will be both short and long-term and will bring down inflation, control high energy prices and "get our way back to growing, healthily".
The chancellor said his plan will help get the UK out of a recession as quickly and with as little pain as possible as he also promised help for energy bills not just this winter, but next.
But he also said spending cuts from government departments will be needed and hinted no more funding will be given to the NHS.
He said the health service's funding is already going up but the government needs to do "everything we can to find efficiencies" within the NHS.
Mr. Hunt, asked if the NHS is on the brink of collapse, admitted doctors and nurses "on the frontline are frankly under unbearable pressure so I do recognize the picture".
-sky news
