Paranoia is everywhere now in Westminster - one top party is even 'incubating' new staff

Paranoia, secrecy, rumours and suspicion. No, not Celebrity Traitors, just this week in Westminster. There’s a Budget coming up, you see, which means it’s the time of year when tensions become a little bit more frayed and everything ratchets up a notch. Chancellor John Healey has run a very tight ship with very few, if any leaks. I hear the Treasury has effectively been operating with small silos so that stuff doesn’t get out. It means that the thirst for stories about what’s going to be in Wednesday’s fiscal showpiece has intensified and speculation is rife.

So far, other than carefully calculated messages - like Healey’s plan not to Capital Gains Tax - there has been scant detail to feast off. Compared to previous years that is. What it does mean is that there’s very much likely to be some new news on the big day. Most of what’s already come out has been largely positive which indicates the Budget itself being fairly grim. That can only mean one thing - tax rises. Labour sources have suggested it won’t be on the scale of Rachel Reeves’ two previous tax bombs, but “rises are to be expected.”

I’m also told that paranoia levels have gone through the roof at Reform UK headquarters following recent undercover stings by Channel 4 and ITV. New staff are apparently being “incubated” on a separate floor of the party’s central London offices for three months. My mole tells me that newbies are being “frisked” by security on their way in - presumably to look for hidden cameras and recording devices. Despite being under the spotlight, Reform appears to be carrying on as normal with leader Nigel Farage touring the country with a series of “100 Days to Save Britain” rallies up and down the country.

But all eyes will be on Healey and what’s inside his famous red box on Wednesday. As ever, the Express’ Parliamentary will be there every step of the way bringing you all the news and analysis.