Radio 4 listeners have been forced to endure another no-answer disaster interview from Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray. Even Nick Robinson was tearing his (figurative) hair out…
James Murray was unable to say when the Defence Investment Plan would be produced. This is despite its months-long delay and scathing criticism of Labour’s slow pace from – as of this morning – every author of the landmark Strategic Defence Review…
On Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields Murray was unable to say when a decision would be taken to allow them to be exploited or even what the Treasury’s preference was with regard to them. Robinson lost it…
Murray was also unable to say if the government is looking again at spending plans since circumstances have changed substantially since the Spending Review. These guys were full of vim and smug policy proposals when they were in opposition…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”