Reeves and Starmer to prepare ground for tax rises in a difficult autumn budget

Exclusive: The Guardian has been told that discussions about increases include a near-certain gambling levy

The chancellor and prime minister will begin to prepare the ground for tax rises and reforms from September as part of a strategy to prepare the country for a difficult budget that could be held in November, the Guardian has been told.

Although Treasury sources have insisted Rachel Reeves will stick to her pledge not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT, senior Whitehall sources said that she and Keir Starmer had begun a series of meetings to thrash out the shape of the budget.