Guido hears Rachel Reeves uses suits just once if she doesn’t like them. Then they get recycled…
A large number of her clothing comes from mid to high-end brand Reiss. Blame them…
Guido has been told that when the Chancellor doesn’t like a suit she hands it to her staffers. Some of the suits are distributed more widely among cross-party staff in Parliament. Talk about Vinted chic…
Reeves also gets her staff to buy clothes for her on a whim. The old ways…
In John Healey’s resignation speech:
“Britain must set the headmark of spending 3% on defence in 2030 and a clear path to 3.5% in 2035. The commitment all NATO nations have made to each other and to their people. And I believe this would commands wide cross party support…
At this dangerous time, I see the current Defence Investment Plans falling well short of what is required. A rise of 0.08% from next year to 2030. No date for reaching 3%. No path to 3.5%. By 2030, well over half of NATO members will be spending 3% or more. And when allies are looking for British leadership, we must not fall behind. When NATO needs European nations to step up, we must not fall short…
Our adversaries don’t follow timetables set by the Treasury. I appreciate how hard this is for cabinet colleagues and I’m very grateful to those who support what’s required.”
Also in the Commons chamber was Luke Pollard, who remains a minister at Healey’s request. The former Defence Secretary ungagged…
Al Carns also gave a speech angling for the Labour leadership. The usual maverick candidate there…
After the Fuel Duty U-turn. Watch along…
Here are the new policies announced:
Not sure what she expected…
Hat-tip: The Sun…
Rachel Reeves is trying to impose price caps on supermarkets in backroom negotiations, according to the FT. UKSSR…
The Treasury is pressuring major supermarkets to voluntarily cap prices on essentials. Rachel Reeves is said to be hoping to announce the policy alongside a cost-of-living package on Thursday. In exchange Labour is offering regulatory “incentives” including easing packaging rules and delaying healthy food regulations…
Supermarkets are obviously furious and describing it as a knee-jerk reaction to the SNP’s similar scheme, which has been roundly dismissed as a 70s-style gimmick. Reeves has also also demanded guarantees that farmers wouldn’t lose income from the caps. Has everyone at the Treasury with an economics degree been locked in the cellar?
Downing Street has admitted Gordon Brown and Harriet Harman will not attend Cabinet in their unpaid, potemkin roles as ‘Special Envoy on Global Finance and Cooperation’ and Adviser on Women and Girls’ respectively. As was obvious the moment these positions were announced, they exist purely as a firefighting exercise. A bit like bringing a water pistol to a forest fire…
Asked specifically what Brown would be doing, the spokesman told the Lobby hacks:
“…Obviously the global finances are very sharply in focus because of the conflict… there’s nobody better qualified in international financial arrangements and multinational arrangements to make our economy stronger… Gordon Brown is uniquely qualified for this role… he will now focus on international finance partnerships to support defence, security, and the economy.”
You’d think the incumbent Chancellor would be uniquely qualified to do those things. She apparently is too busy rowing with her sister at children’s birthday parties…
Bookmark this from Andy Burnham:
2029: “that’s when the next election will be.”
May 2027: “Absolutely not.”
“No election any time soon.”
“All of this speculation on an early election, I can knock that dead.”