Chancellor George Osborne's deficit-busting plans were dealt a blow today as the last borrowing figures to be published before his Autumn Statement revealed further pressure on the public finances.
Public sector net borrowing, excluding financial interventions such as bank bailouts, was £8.6 billion in October, up £2.7 billion on the same month last year.
The Chancellor wants to record borrowing for the full year 2012/2013 of £120 billion, compared with £121.4 billion in the previous year, but this is looking increasingly unlikely.
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