Sir Keir Starmer was repeatedly pressed on whether VAT could be increased in November’s Budget.
The prime minister was asked at least five times by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg if he would rule out raising VAT, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves expected to have to put up taxes or cut spending to meet her own rules on government borrowing.
Speaking ahead of Labour’s party conference in Liverpool, the PM said “the manifesto stands” and that more would be revealed in the Budget.