‘Exhausted’ Tories pin hopes on spring revival after bleak autumn statement

Some MPs would like Jeremy Hunt to revise tax rises, fearing impact on squeezed middle' and backlash from red wall areas

Tory MPs are desperately hoping that a surprise spring economic revival will allow Jeremy Hunt to alter his tax-raising plans, amid warnings that the chancellor's stealth tax" autumn statement will extinguish the party's election hopes.

While concerns have already been raised on the right of the party over the extent of the 25bn in tax rises announced by the chancellor last week, figures from across the party said that emotional and mental exhaustion" had blunted a greater immediate backlash.