Hunt expected to cut National Insurance tax by 2p

Jeremy Hunt is expected to announce a 2p cut to National Insurance when he delivers his Budget on Wednesday.

Mr Hunt has been under pressure, particularly from Tory MPs, to cut taxes currently at an historic high.

Last week, the chancellor hinted he would use his Budget to cut taxes saying he wanted to "show a path" towards a lower-tax economy.

However, he stressed he would only do so in a "responsible" way.

In his Budget statement - taking place in the House of Commons on Wednesday - Mr Hunt is likely to argue that rewarding work and putting more money in people's pockets is a driving motivation for the government.

In recent weeks, the chancellor has been emphasising that his scope for cutting taxes is not what he had hoped it would be.

Cutting National Insurance is cheaper than cutting income tax; however, some Conservative MPs fear it is less well understood by many voters and so is less beneficial politically.

They have also argued that the initial cut to National Insurance has not improved the Conservatives' political fortunes - a key consideration with the general election expected this year.

Labour believe the government has more room for manoeuvre than ministers have been suggesting and may cut income tax as well.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, when he responds to the Budget, will argue tax cuts now still leave people worse off because of the freezing of tax thresholds, which means many people are paying higher rates of tax than they used to.

Alongside the expected cut to National Insurance, Mr Hunt is set to freeze fuel duty for another year. The levy has not increased since 2011.

The BBC has also been told Mr Hunt will use his Budget to urge councils to reduce their spending on diversity schemes and consultants.

It comes as councils across the country have said they are struggling to balance the books.

This week councils in Birmingham and Nottingham have announced big cuts to services.

The Local Government Association has dismissed attacks on diversity schemes as a "distraction" arguing that councils spent "pence" on such projects.