This week sees a “reset” of the new government. After months of own goals and criticism, the Prime Minister has decided to start again. Or not. We’re not entirely certain. But he will be talking about some stuff and targets that he promised in his manifesto. But obviously not the bits they have already gone back on, of course.
One of those promises was to cut waiting lists in the NHS. A fine ambition, but one that has been met with dismay from none other than NHS bosses, who say prioritising routine operations over vital services will turn A&E departments into “war zones”.
Similarly, he will be making much over his ambition to grow the economy. That’s not going well, either. The Institute of Directors has joined the CBI in analysis that shows business confidence has crashed due to Chancellor Rachel Reeves talking down the economy and hitting businesses with £25 billion extra taxes in her budget. And a new analysis has revealed that the tax measures on family businesses will cost 125,000 jobs, adding to the increasing problems loaded on farms, where, as time goes by, reduction in budgets will hit farmers on top of the tax raid on family farms.
Meanwhile, scandals continue.
It turns out that a well-heeled Labour MP’s family put their 2,200 acre family estate into a trust fund, to avoid inheritance tax, just weeks before the budget. Of course, it may be a coincidence, but there are calls for an enquiry. Revealing budget measures ahead of the statement is a sackable offence for a guilty chancellor.
On the subject of enquiries, it turns out the now former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh was subject to a criminal one, followed by a conviction, for fraud ten years ago. She told Sir Keir and he was happy to make her shadow transport secretary at the time. That is fine and all convicted criminals should be given the chance to start afresh. But the questions still remain why Sir Keir then sacked her when the story came out last week.
At the start of the Finance Bill debate last week, the usual moan about a £22 billion black hole prompted hoots of laughter across the chamber. The reality is this government has, in five months, gone from a fresh start to comic derision. But it was always going to be such. Jeremy Corbyn secured 550,000 more votes in 2019 than Sir Keir this year.
