Labour MP Rachel Reeves accused the Conservative government of hiding a £21.9bn overspend in front of the House of Commons, proposing spending cuts including reducing winter fuel payments for 10 million pensioners. Economist Larry Elliott suggests Reeves is crafting a narrative that blames the Tories for a financial mess, mirroring George Osborne’s playbook from 2010.
He notes that governments often make tough decisions early in their term to sway voter opinion, shifting blame to preceding administrations. This raises the question of whether Labour could have pursued a different route. The strategy of framing the narrative could potentially influence public perception leading up to the next election cycle.
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