Summary
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt tells the BBC times are difficult as he defends tax rises in his Autumn Statement
He says families face “real challenges” as government forecasters predict the biggest drop in living standards since records began
The Office for Budget Responsibility says household income will fall by 7% over the next 18 months
The chancellor said tax rises and a spending squeeze in his Autumn Statement would help tame inflation which he said had caused the drop
But Labour said he had picked the nation’s pockets with “stealth taxes” and accused the Tories of crashing the economy and making working people pay