Nigel Farage's biggest obstacle en route to No10 revealed as Reform UK not trusted by public on key policy in damning poll

The Conservatives lead the polls on 17 per cent, with Reform UK second on 13 per cent, Labour on 10 per cent Greens on eight per cent and the Liberal Democrats on just five per cent.

Kemi Badenoch dubbed the Reform UK leader "not serious", adding: "I think the fact that he chose to attack us at a time when it's Labour that's on the ropes, it's the Chancellor who's in the dock, they are making everyone in our country poorer apart from people on benefits."

She continued: "We right now as a country need to get serious and get a grip. We are getting poorer, we're living beyond our means. We are the only party, the Conservatives, who are interested in fiscal responsibility, and I think that people can see that, and that's why they're paying more attention."

Meanwhile, over a third of Britons think Rachel Reeves over-exaggerated economic bad news in the days before last week's budget.

Only 18 per cent of those polled by YouGov said she was broadly honest, and just 13 per cent who said things were better than she presented.

Over half of people polled (57 per cent) think the Chancellor broke Labour's election promises, 13 per cent think she did not and 30 per cent are not sure.

Just eight per cent think the budget will leave the country as a whole better off, while two per cent think it will leave them and their family better off, reports Sky News.

The polling by YouGov for Sky News has suggested Britons trust Liz Truss and Jeremy Corbyn to handle the economy more than Labour.

Sir Mel told GB News: "The Chancellor should resign. Richard Hughes's departure, one can understand in terms of the serious errors that were made at the OBR.

"But nonetheless, I think there's more than circumstantial evidence that the relationship between him and Rachel Reeves and the lack of support from the Chancellor for him at this particular moment has been part of the story of him leaving his position."

Taking aim at Ms Reeves's decisions made in the Budget last week, Sir Mel concluded: "The position with the public finances is very weak and much weaker than it should have been.

"Because you've had a Government that's come in having said they wouldn't put up taxes, but slapped lots of taxes, particularly on businesses, that has killed growth."

According to the YouGov polling, 20 per cent of Britons think the budget catered too much to help and support for older people, with 50 per cent thinking they and their family will be worse off.

Sir Mel continued: "They're mounting up lots of debt, and the servicing costs on that debt are now running at £100billion, twice what we spend on defence.

"What we've seen in this latest Budget is actually taking a lot of money now from hard working people by way of extra tax and spending it on welfare.

"And those are the wrong priorities. They're not going to be good for the economic health or the wellbeing of people up and down the country, I'm afraid."

Nigel Farage took aim at last week's budget, as the Reform UK leader dubbed it an "assault on aspiration and an assault on saving”."

The Clacton MP said it was an "Alice-through-the-looking-glass Budget with a healthy dose of socialism thrown in."

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats warned that Rachel Reeves is becoming a "continuity Conservative chancellor", with the party's Treasury Spokeswoman and Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper saying: "This £67billion stealth tax stitch up between the Conservatives and Labour is not just stifling our economy, it is undermining faith in our politics.

“People hoped this Labour government would deliver the change they’re crying out for, instead it’s just more of the same chaos and broken promises."

Meanwhile Green Party Treasury Spokesman Adrian Ramsay MP accused Labour of "papering over the cracks", adding: "It is frankly inexcusable that she has made the political choice to squeeze households already struggling with the cost of essentials, whilst letting multimillionaires and billionaires off the hook.

“It is indefensible that the Chancellor is cutting vital home insulation funding, one of the best ways to lower bills.

“Whilst scrapping the cruel two-child benefit cap will be a huge relief to families across the country, it is unforgivable that it has taken 18 months for the Chancellor to acknowledge the terrible harm and distress this cap has caused to so many families.

"Far more action is needed to end the scandal of child poverty."