Chancellor says £22bn gap in current spending budget and state pension rise meant she had to make decision on means-testing fuel payments. Early evening summary 18:20 Rachel Reeves has defended her decisions to cut the winter fuel allowance and abandon infrastructure projects as she argued the decisions taken in the early weeks of the Labour government would pave the way to a more optimistic economic future.

In her first major speech as Chancellor to Labour conference that was briefly interrupted by hecklers, Rachel Reeves attempted to strike a more optimistic tone after recent gloomy warnings

The Labour conference in Liverpool this week should have been a victory party, but Starmer and Rachel Reeves were put under pressure.

Rachel Reeves defended winter fuel cuts as the “right decision” and insisted pensioners most in need will still receive help. In a speech to the Labour conference that was disrupted by hecklers, the Chancellor said she would not “duck” difficult decisions.

Ms Reeves will insist economic stability is “the crucial foundation on which all our ambitions will be built”, as she seeks to justify to Labour members the spending restrictions which are aimed at filling a £22 billion “black hole” in public finances.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves promised to deliver a UK budget showing “real ambition” next month as she used her speech at the Labour Party’s annual conference to project a positive vision for the country.

Reeves says the figures do move around, but she does not contest the broad point Robinson is making. Q: Can you say no department will have its budget cut in real terms? Reeves sa