Jeremy Hunt has hit out at the BBC for its coverage of the Spring Budget, saying it is "unworthy" of the broadcaster.
The Chancellor clashed with presenter Amol Rajan over his "characterisation" of yesterday's budget, which saw the Treasury slash national insurance by 2p for the second time.
Rajan asked Hunt: "This is a country ravaged by economic shocks, at best drifting, at worst stagnant, we all know about its potential, but we have had seven quarters of falling GDP per head… we are hooked on foreign labour, the birth rate is collapsing, many public services are creaking, councils are going bust.
"Those are facts. Has your Budget really come even close to meeting the scale of the challenges this country faces?"
Jeremy Hunt has hit out at the BBC for its coverage of the Spring Budget, saying it is "unworthy" of the broadcaster.
PA
Hunt responded: "I believe it has and if you want gimmicks, if you want quick fixes that unravel then I am not your person. If you want a long term plan to deliver better public services, to get more investment into the economy then I have delivered packages that do that.
"And by the way I think the overall characterisation that you have just given of the British economy is unworthy of the BBC because we have grown faster…"
Rajan hit back: "The BBC is an organisation with tens of thousands of people who do lots of different things, there is no such thing as ‘the BBC’ and I am putting to you facts about this country…"
The Chancellor responded: "It is unworthy of you Amol… we have grown faster than the three largest European economies since 2010…"
Overnight, a report from the Resolution Foundation warned that the Conservatives will preside over the first parliament in modern history to oversee a fall in living standards.
The thinktank published an analysis of yesterday's Spring Budget which showed that real disposable income will drop by 0.9 per cent.z
It also dubbed £19 billion of cuts to public services a "fiscal fiction" and warned that the next Government will be facing a "huge" task ahead of them.
Jeremy Hunt unveiled the budget to the House of Commons yesterday, announcing a further 2p cut to national insurance.
Leaving income tax untouched, Hunt was keen to stress the benefits of the combined NI cuts announced over the last two budgets - saying it will amount to a £900 saving for the average employee.
The Chancellor also suggested National Insurance payments could be scrapped entirely, describing the levy as "particularly unfair". He said his "long-term ambition" is to end the system of double taxation.
Hunt also froze both alcohol and fuel duty until 2025, along with the creation of a "British ISA" which will allow an additional £5,000 annual investment in UK equity.
The Chancellor allocated £3.4 billion in investment aimed at improving NHS productivity, something he said will "unlock £35 billion of savings".
He announced plans to get rid of the "outdated" non-dom status, instead replacing the regime with a "modern, simpler and fairer residency-based system" from April 2025.
Hunt also extended child benefits to hundreds of thousands of middle-income families, increasing the high-income child benefit charge threshold from £50,000 to £60,000.
However, Tory MPs have been ambivalent about the measures, calling for him to go further at the Autumn Statement.
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MP for Mansfield Ben Bradley told GB News it had "some small positive steps", but added: "I hope that - assuming we'll have an autumn statement now - there will be something more radical to come before a [General Election]".
Another equally unenthusiastic MP added: "It went as far as the O.B.R. would allow."
Former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg accused the Chancellor of simply "tinkering" with the country's finances.