Asked whether growth would be stronger if Britain was in the EU or single market, Mr Healey told LBC: ‘Well, I don’t actually accept that’

It came as John Healey warned that the UK faces more ‘hard decisions’ about its spending priorities in the coming years, after delivering his first Budget on Wednesday

The chancellor vowed there would be a ‘reduction in the benefits bill’ before the next general election – and then Downing Street intervened