Budget 2018: Corbyn suffers revolt by 20 Labour MPs after he refused to oppose tax cut benefiting top earners

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Jeremy Corbyn has suffered a revolt by around 20 Labour MPs after he refused to oppose a Conservative tax cut that will mainly benefit top earners.

The Labour leader ordered his MPs to abstain in the vote – in an apparent attempt to avoid offending middle-class voters – but the rebels voted against the Budget resolution.

In the Commons, a Treasury minister taunted John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, over the revolt, jokingly inviting him to cross the floor and join the government.

Liz Truss said she could “almost hear Momentum shaping their pitchforks” at Mr McDonnell’s support for hiking the tax thresholds.

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