Public borrowing 22.0 bln pounds vs 13.0 bln forecast
New energy subsidies cost around 7 bln pounds in Nov
Official forecasts show 202223 deficit at 7.1 of GDP
Hunt warns of tough decisions as workers strike
Underlying public debt rises to 86.7 of GDP

LONDON, Dec 21 Reuters British public borrowing unexpectedly jumped last month to hit its highest for any November on record, reflecting the mounting cost of energy subsidies, debt interest and the reversal of an increase in payroll taxes, official figures showed on Wednesday.

Borrowing rose to 22.0 billion pounds 26.7 billion from 8.1 billion pounds a year earlier before Britain was hit by surging natural gas prices that have forced the government to subsidise heating and electricity costs for millions of households and businesses.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a much smaller increase to 13.0 billion pounds.

The news comes as the government faces a wave of strikes in the public sector including nurses and ambulance drivers  as well as in the rail industry which relies heavily on subsidies.

Responding to the data, finance minister Jeremy Hunt repeated his position that he had no wish to change his spending plans. These allow no scope for publicsector pay to keep up with inflation, which hit a 41year high in October.

We have a clear plan to help halve inflation next year, but that requires some tough decisions to put our public finances back on a sustainable footing, Hunt said.

Last month the…