Rachel Speaks About Her Budget.

Before Rachel Reeves announced her budget on Wednesday many thought there was no difference between the Tories and Labour. Such was the cynical view of people tired of both political parties. However, Rachel Reeves's budget has exposed clear blue water between the government and their Tory predecessors.

With the £40 billion tax rise in the budget, everyone was shocked and blindsided. Ms. Reeves has been defending her budget with the tax rise saying "Everything has to be paid for".

The chancellor increased the taxes by £40 billion with employers paying the lion's share of £25 billion in employer's national insurance. Ms. Reeves insisted that the tax rises would "fix the foundations and wipe the slate clean". "Wiping the slate clean" is what Ms. Reeves's budget has done. "Fixing the foundations" has been a Labour mantra before Starmer was elected. And the mantra has been repeated often since. With the Tories "It was fixing the roof while the sun is still shining". Now in that political house, Labour is fixing the foundations instead of the roof.

Rachel Reeves said, "As a result of what we've done, we're not going to have to come back and ever do a budget like this again, because we've brought everything out into the open". In other words, we will never have to do a budget like this again. Intimating that once the pain for many is over and the books have been balanced, we will be in better days. At least, that's my take on Rachel's budget but I am no financier.

How long will it be though before we see better days? I doubt it will be tomorrow or even in the 5 years that Sir Keir and his buddies will be in power. "Growth remains unchanged for the next 5 years" Rachel said. She explained that you have to look at the economy long term and that is what she is doing. She explained that the OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility) is looking at the growth of the economy over a longer term. Ms Reeves explained: "And that's really important because often politicians make short-term decisions rather than things that are in the long-term interest of the country".

In his last response as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was enraged by Ms. Reeves's budget. Standing at the opposition dispatch box Rishi accused Rachel of creating a "40 billion black hole". Ms. Reeves responded that Labour had to do what was in the budget because since taking office they had discovered a £22 billion overspend or in their words, a "blackhole". Ms. Reeves said she had to make "tough decisions" including scrapping projects like the A303 Stonehenge tunnel and Sunak's A-Level reforms for savings. This exchange between Reeves and Sunak highlights the difference in approaches between the former administration of Rishi Sunak and the new one led by Sir Keir Starmer. The key difference is Sunak's spending restraint and Reeve's focus on public services and infrastructure.

Recent polling has shown that despite criticism from the Tories Labour's budget has given Labour a boost in popularity. Remember Labour inherited an absolute mess from the Tories. 14 years of the most devastating cutbacks to public services. Neglect of our infrastructure like public buildings, roads, and other such things.

Labour made no bones that it would not bring salvation overnight. And this budget is the personification of this. Ms. Reeves has indicated that "Everything has to be paid for" and includes all the cock ups, neglects, and projects of the last administration. It seems pain is the word in town to gain political and economic gain for all.

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