Can Labour save UK economy with Rachel Reeves 'no austerity' plan?

Rachel Reeves has just delivered her Labour conference speech as the UK’s first female chancellor, defending the “hard but fair” choices that Labour will have to make. She called Labour the party of “economic responsibility”, but there remains much discontent over winter fuel allowance cuts to pensioners, and then there’s a donation scandal that’s dressed much of the conversation at this year’s conference.

With a speech focused on business, there was one line that came up again and again: “that’s the Britain we’re building”. But how do you deliver change and growth if the railways aren’t working? And public services aren’t working? Where will the £16bn come from if taxes aren’t being raised?

To talk about all of this on day 2 of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool with Krishnan Guru-Murthy is Channel 4 News’ Political Editor, Gary Gibbon, and Economics Correspondent for Channel 4 News, Helia Ebrahimi.

Produced by Calum Fraser, Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar, and Rob Thomson

-------

Follow us:

[prideofdurham]

No medals for knowing who will benefit from her budget. My wife and I have a combined pension of £18k a year, so how she survives on £260k is a miracle.😢

[paulbird]

Ironic really, as Racheal Reeves was moaning in January this year that she was struggling to get by on her £90.000 salary. And by the way her husband was earning £170.000, £260.000 joint income!. My heart grieves for her, but she seems to think a pensioner can manage on £11.000 and doesn't need the 'WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE' How disgraceful is that, good to see austerity is a thing of the past. UNLESS YOU ARE ON

[NeilBrown-rzll]

If this isn’t austerity then god help us all when it does hit!…

[stevebell]

What about the OAPs whose sole income is the State Pension – they are now poorer than those on Pension Credit!

[paulbird]

Well at least she has confined the austerity to the poorest pensioners. The billionaires live to fight another day, long live Labour!. 🤔🙄😒....

[Respectforpensioners]

5 YEARS OF AUSTERITY COMING OUR WAY…………Free Gear Keir and Robber Reeves ….SHAME ON YOU !

[Glasgow_kiss]

there cant be a return to austerity when austerity policies have never been axed, instead continued and more implemented by labour.

[martycrow]

There was once a Chancellor named Reeves,
Whose policies attracted many peeves,
Like leaving the poor and old in the cold,
Then saying this was bold,
She could not see the wood for the trees.

[Ralpho]

Dalek reeves, fills you full of confidence in her

[Isabella-hpzf]

She and Starmer speak in clipped, angry tones. There’s nothing “light” about either of them … definitely more of the dark as is their content.

[jamessmithson-brrm]

Answer, they could… but not by pursuing any of their current policies, which are going to kill investment and the economy…

[paulcullum]

She is like a robot, a deoid no emotion at all

[CBFP]

Save it? they've only been in charge for barely 3 months and there already well on the way to wrecking it

[spezzington]

UK government is not fit for purpose. I want my money back!

[butlerpa]

It looks, smells and fields like Austerity because it is AUSTERITY. The cost of living crisis is NOT OVER

[guyellis]

We really need to know the forensic accounting experts (named, qualifications etc) discovering a black hole that doesn't actually exist as she never quantifies where it is, how it arose and prevention from a recurrence

[Truthinshredding]

This is just disturbing, a real clown show by channel 4.

[DonHomersdonut]

In 18 months time, we’ll be begging for Rishi to come back (and he was terrible)

[mci]

Lot's of talk. Nothing else. Increased tax and increased waste and incompetence

[DavidMeikle-eifr]

Starmer's government hasn't the competence to grow this country's economy. It'll need massive investment from the private sector in this country and from overseas. Does the private sector have confidence in this government ? Starmer's authoritarian approach won't attract investment, he'll have to change