Live: Jeremy Hunt grilled on spring Budget by committee of MPs

The chancellor’s appearance before the Treasury Committee comes after his economic proposals cleared their first Commons hurdle amid warnings that they lack a “bombshell” announcement to turn around the Tories’ election prospects. Mr Hunt used last week’s Budget to announce pre-election giveaways, including a 2p cut in national insurance for employees and the self-employed from April and a cut to the top rate of capital gains tax on property sales. MPs approved a series of Budget resolutions, which relate to specific proposals for taxation, on Tuesday evening. A Finance Bill will be considered at a later date to give them permanent legal effect. Conservative MP Richard Drax said on the final day of the Budget debate: “When I heard the Chancellor speak about the importance of lower taxes and allowing people to keep more of their hard-earned money I was expecting a bombshell of an announcement during his speech. “For example, abolishing inheritance tax, lowering income tax – whi