ON TWITTER

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has refused to rule out raising taxes again just three weeks before Chancellor Rishi Sunak announces his annual Budget. He said he was a "zealous opponent of unnecessary tax rises", but warned the pandemic had hit the UK'S economy like a "fiscal meteorite".

@octonan said: “Of course he does – how else is he to cover the cost of the pandemic? Everyone was keen to take the money, now we must man up and pay it back.”

@Hetmanpiotor posted: “What about Brexit? We've got £350m a week flowing, remember? And a trade deal with US, right? Plus the fastest growth in G7, remember? Why would we be raising taxes if we were doing so well?”

@Craigw30_07 commented: “What he really means is tax rises for the lower/middle income people and for his rich, tax-evading friends… nothing.”

@super_clarky remarked: “All I want is low taxes, strong borders, working infrastructure and to be left the heii alone!”

@Stcadeddu stated: “No responsible government would approve the largest defence budget rise in the UK recent history during a pandemic if they're really concerned about national debt.”

@charlotten1994 observed: “Sounds a bit like ‘we will never lockdown again’, ‘we will have a normal Christmas’, ‘the lifting of restrictions is irreversable’, ‘these vaccines are not for children’... I could go on.” @krimmler100 added: “I thought it was only under socialism that you ran out of other people's money? Seems like it can happen under the Conservatives too.”

#BREXIT

Brandon Lewis has said the UK government would rather negotiate with the EU than trigger Article 16. The Northern Ireland Secretary said "good faith" was being shown to negotiate the best way forward.

@workingsux said: “Wait a minute, are you saying the British government did not get Brexit done?”

@Mcflavour7 posted: “So negotiate. Put free movement back on the table. Get fuel back in the pumps. Get food back on the shelves.”

@david_carr added: “If I didn't know any different I'd say this government is making it up as they go.”