The Chancellor is said to be in danger despite announcing measures the pleased backbenchers in her Budget.
The fortunes of Rachel Reeves are said to be tied to Sir Keir Starmer’s (Image: Getty)
Labour MPs are reportedly blaming Rachel Reeves for the Government’s problems even though she announced the lifting of the two child benefit cap in her Budget. The Chancellor also said she would hit online gambling with extra levies, as well as roll out a mansion tax. These measures were designed to appease backbenchers who had rebelled against the Government’s attempt to cut the welfare bill in the summer, critics suggested. One of her backbench colleagues said the situation is a “tragedy”, as Ms Reeves’s latest financial plans included “some great things” that “will genuinely help”.
They added: “But as has been the story of this administration they just haven’t landed it.” Reeves’s “absolute original sin” was the decision to scrap the winter fuel payment last year, which “killed any honeymoon we might have had”, the MP said. They also suggested that the fortunes of the Chancellor and Sir Keir Starmer were linked, so she would be safe if prime minister were still in No 10.
Ms Reeves is said to be safe as long as Keir Starmer remains in No. 10 (Image: Getty)
They told the i: “Personally, I think she’s f**ked.
“But if Rachel goes, so goes Keir, because they are linked.”
It was revealed yesterday that Ms Reeves would not face an investigation by the prime minister’s ethics tsar over the handling of the Budget.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage had called for the independent adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, to investigate the Chancellor’s campaign to “prepare political ground” for tax hikes in the lead-up to the Budget.
But Sir Laurie is understood to have informed Mr Farage there will not be an investigation.
Mr Farage alleged that Ms Reeves’s may have broken the ministerial code by talking down the state of the public finances after receiving preliminary forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
Sir Keir said he was proud to lead the Labour Party at the Budget during this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch asked: “Does the Prime Minister believe that when an organisation descends into total shambles, the person at the top should resign?”
Sir Keir replied: “I was very proud to lead this party at the Budget last week where the Chancellor set out that we would protect the NHS, which we’ve done in the Budget, create the conditions for economic stability, not repeating the mistake of austerity, and bearing down on the cost of living by taking £150 off energy bills.
“We’re fixing the mess that they left and I’m very proud to be doing so.”
