All the hidden clues Rachel Reeves was not as calm as she tried to portray during her surprise pre-Budget speech

Rachel Reeves sounded like a “concerned headteacher” in her pre-budget speech this morning, insisting the impending manifesto-shattering tax raid was everyone else’s fault but her own, a leading body language expert has claimed.

The Chancellor took the highly unusual step of laying out his fiscal package in Downing Street today, where he ominously paved the way for a broad tax offensive.

Communications expert Judi James revealed some subtle signs that Ms Reeves was actually ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘anxious’ beneath her ‘performative’ exterior.

Ms James said: ‘There was an obvious attempt here to project visual signals of strength and calm competence, from a “steady hand on the helm” performance that varied in style between a whey-faced Covid lecture and a scolding from the headteacher.

‘Yet his veneer of calm was not supported by his more subtle body language cues. These were discordant and potentially pointed to underlying panic and anxiety (again, like most Covid lessons).’

During her speech, Ms. Reeves took to the podium with the slogan ‘strong foundations, secure future’.

Flanked by Union Jacks, the Chancellor appeared to boldly declare that there were no ‘easy answers’.

But spurious displays of confidence, according to Ms. James, included his “presidential stance” and his “gorgeous purple jacket with padded shoulders.”

A lower camera also made Ms. Reeves appear to be “speaking from a high place” because her “teeth-baring speech” gave a “growling” appearance as she spoke.

Other signs, according to Ms. James, were that he used the word “true” to imply the unquestionable correctness of thought and that he opened his arms while holding the lectern, creating a “desire to show confidence.”

His faux-confidence displays, according to Ms. James, included his “presidential stance” and his “gorgeous purple jacket with padded shoulders.”

Lower camera made Ms Reeves appear to be ‘speaking from a high place’

In an apparent exercise in détente ahead of her announcements on November 26, Ms Reeves said there was a ‘clear choice’ between ‘investment and hope or cuts and division’.

Instead of taking responsibility for the terrible situation, he offered a host of excuses, including Brexit, Tory austerity, Donald Trump, Covid and the Ukraine war.

The Chancellor has repeatedly dodged Labour’s invitations to repeat his election promise not to increase income tax, national insurance or VAT.

He said he would do ‘the right thing’ rather than be ‘popular’ and prioritize ‘protecting our NHS, reducing our national debt and improving the cost of living’.

‘A Chancellor of any party would face the same choices I face here,’ he insisted.

Ms James, who has spent 15 years honing her image and presentation skills at some of the UK’s leading organisations, said the Chancellor made “lighthouse eye contact” during his comments, appearing extremely conscious and educated.

The question posed to Ms. Reeves about her promise not to come back with more taxes also prompted an interesting response, according to Ms. James.

Although he had undoubtedly prepared “at length” for this, he was described as “the last shades of color fading from his face as he listened in a frozen pose”.

Ms Reeves’ ‘baring teeth speech’ made her appear to be ‘growling’ while speaking

Chancellor made ‘lighthouse eye contact, appearing extremely conscious and educated’ during speech

Ms James added: ‘Blinking rate increased under her fringes as a sign of anxiety and some micro movements increased her feeling of discomfort.

‘His upper lip teased slightly and his lower lip opened before closing in what appeared to be a biting of his lower lip attacking itself.

‘The question followed with a second question about the rental licence, where he looked down in a cutting ritual that obscured his eye expression as he appeared to be furiously writing notes rather than listening or responding visually.

‘But one of the biggest ‘clues’ came when he answered. Although his speech was read competently, his off-piste dialogue was suddenly filled with verbal filler, indicating a lack of confidence in the message he was delivering.

‘Verbal fillers are all the unnecessary words and noise we sprinkle into dialogue when we’re anxious, under pressure or unsure. ‘The numbers of ‘um’ and ‘ers’ are increasing, which is what happened to Reeves, the use of ‘um’ suddenly increased dramatically.’

Ms James concluded: ‘Her signature suddenly became oddly girly and she said a frivolous-sounding ‘Goodbye’, and there was a jumping scene that suggested potential relief at having completed her briefing.’

The Chancellor has been hiding from the media since the Daily Mail revealed last week that he had broken the law by failing to obtain a license to rent his family’s home.

No10 refused to say whether Labour’s manifesto not to increase income tax, VAT or National Insurance was still valid.

Ms Reeves returns from No 9 Downing Street today after her pre-budget speech

Ms Reeves is considering a proposal by the Left-Wing Resolution Foundation to increase income tax by 2p; This will be the first increase in the basic tax rate for 50 years.

The move could be partly offset by a 2 per cent cut to National Insurance but would still raise an extra £6bn a year from pensioners and others.

If Ms Reeves targets income tax, it will be the first time the rate has been increased in 50 years.

He also wants to drag millions into higher tax bands by extending the six-year freeze on tax thresholds, despite previously warning that the move would break Labor’s manifesto promise.

Treasury officials are said to have been ordered to find ways to get more money from anyone with an income of more than £45,000 a year.

Insiders claim that only Britons below this threshold, the bottom two-thirds of earners, are designated as ‘working people’ to protect themselves from Labour’s tax attack.

This effectively brands the top third as ‘rich’, which includes jobs such as HGV drivers, teachers and head chefs at the Wagamama restaurant chain.

Sources confirmed larger property taxes are on the radar.

The Chancellor is said to be planning to dramatically increase council tax for top groups, which could impact more than a million families.

This could mean an eye-watering increase from £3,800 to £7,600 per year for households in group G in England, and from £4,560 to £9,120 per year for those in group H.

This move will negatively impact London and the South East, where property prices are higher. Critics warned it would lead to a crisis for retirees on fixed incomes and families straining to buy their dream homes.

Capital gains, pension allowances, inheritance tax and partnership structures were also among Labor’s ways of raising funds.

Final decisions are unlikely to be made in a week or so, when the OBR will begin to include the Government’s plans in its draft estimates.