Rachel Reeves Blames Brexit As She Prepares To Raise Taxes And Cut Spending

<div><img src="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/68ef62aa1600000207483ca6.jpeg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale" alt="Rachel Reeves has some difficult decisions to take before the Budget." data-caption="Rachel Reeves has some difficult decisions to take before the Budget." data-credit-link-back="" data-credit="via Associated Press" />Rachel Reeves has some difficult decisions to take before the Budget.</div><div class="content-list-component text"><p><a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/rachel-reeves/">Rachel Reeves </a>has blamed the impact of <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/brexit/">Brexit </a>as she prepares to increase taxes and slash public spending in next month’s Budget.</p><p>The chancellor said the economic consequences of leaving the <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/eu/">European Union</a> were “severe and long lasting”.</p><p>Her comments are the harshest criticism of the UK’s decision to quit the EU in the 2016 referendum by a <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/labour-party/">Labour </a>minister.</p><p>It indicates that she plans to pin the blame on <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk/">Reform UK</a> leader and enthusiastic Brexit backer <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/nigel-farage/">Nigel Farage</a> for Britain’s economic woes. </p><p>Reeves also said the last Tory government’s austerity programme, as well as <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/mini-budget/">Liz Truss’s mini-Budget</a>, had contributed to the £30 billion black hole she needs to fill.</p><p>Speaking to <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/sky-news/">Sky News</a>, s