logo
After Two Tier Keir, we now have Two Tear Rachel… Reeves is finished but how long before her boss exits too?

After Two Tier Keir, we now have Two Tear Rachel… Reeves is finished but how long before her boss exits too?

The Sun8 hours ago
IF there is one cast-iron rule in ­politics, it's this: If the Prime Minister is having to say he has full confidence you will stay in your job, your days are definitely numbered.
So no wonder then that Rachel Reeves was moved to tears as she sat behind Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs on Wednesday when, after months of saying she would be his Chancellor until the next election and beyond, he chose to studiously dodge the question.
2
2
After Two-Tier Keir, we now have Two-Tear Rachel.
As those tears rolled down her cheeks, the Chancellor prompted feverish speculation about the cause of her sobs — wiping £3billion off the markets, pushing up government borrowing costs and devaluing the Pound into the bargain.
Wheeled out to face the cameras yesterday, Reeves plastered on the make-up and a beaming smile to insist she had been upset about a ' personal issue ' and had been 'having a tough day' which, unlike most people's bad days, was broadcast 'on the telly' for all to see.
We may never know the true reason behind her blubbing, but what we do know is that her wobbly bottom lip didn't just wobble the markets, it also sent ­trembles through the entire Government.
Facing a swift exit
There is no doubt now that Rachel Reeves is facing a swift exit from the Treasury, even if she does survive until the autumn Budget. Yet the real question mark now is not over HER future but that of her boss, the Prime Minister.
This, after all, was supposed to be a week of celebration for Labour's first year in office after winning a landslide victory in the General Election last July.
Instead the PM has suffered a humiliating defeat in the Commons over his ­welfare reforms at the hands of his own backbenchers and been forced to deny he plans to sack his Chancellor while facing approval ratings so low that they've ­surfaced in New Zealand.
Some of us knew this Labour government would be bad but not many realised just how bad they would turn out to be.
It would have been inconceivable a year ago to imagine, after being elected to Downing Street with a whopping 411 MPs, that Starmer would be facing questions about not only his Chancellor's future but even his own so soon.
Even Britney Spears has had longer honeymoons than this.
Squirming Keir Starmer refuses to say Rachel Reeves will be Chancellor at next election after horror Budget
And for all the PM's claims that Reeves will be Chancellor for years to come, after months of broken promises and U-turns no one actually believes a word he says any more.
After all, Rachel From Accounts hardly had a great start in the job. From the disastrous decision to cut winter fuel ­payments to ten million pensioners to the inflation-busting pay rises for train drivers and doctors, to the revelations that her CV was full of exaggerations and her taste for freebie tickets to Taylor Swift concerts, the Chancellor's reputation has long been in tatters.
The sight of Reeves blubbing in the Commons this week wasn't just embarrassing for her — it embarrassed the whole country.
And the desperate cries of 'bullying!' and 'sexism!' by Labour MPs are shameless coming from a party that ­happily attacked both Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May for crying as they left office.
If you can't stand the heat, Rachel, get out of the Number 11 kitchen.
The Chancellor's claims to have had a 'tough day' will fall flat with many voters who are having tough days EVERY day thanks to this Government's policies.
What about people struggling to pay their bills as the cost of living continues to rise and taxes go up? What about ­pensioners worried about putting the ­heating on last winter after Reeves took away their winter fuel allowance?
What about the farmers who face losing their family farm thanks to the inheritance tax hike? What about the small business owners who have had to shut up shop after the Chancellor's employer National Insurance rises?
Everyone in Westminster knows that the only thing keeping Reeves in her job right now is that she acts as the PM's human shield — someone he can blame for every mishap, every poor judgment, every U-turn and every tax rise to come in the next Budget.
From being hailed as Labour's greatest asset, as 'the first woman Chancellor' (as if anyone cared), Reeves has quickly become the Government's punching bag. No wonder the tears have started rolling.
It is obvious to everyone that Rachel From Accounts is way out of her depth. But she isn't alone.
Starmer is also flailing around like a drowning man, desperate to blame anyone and anything else for his own failings.
Nothing of substance­
Ultimately, though, everyone knows he is in charge and the buck stops with him.
Reeves may have exposed a fatal ­weakness with her tears, but the past 12 months have revealed far greater failings in her boss.
As he marks his first year in office, we now know that underneath Starmer's shiny helmet of Brylcreemed hair, there is ­absolutely nothing of substance.
Sir Keir has proved himself to be a Prime Minister with no ideas and no ­philosophy, no policies and no plan; a man with no backbone and no moral compass. He is a leader who cannot lead, a ­manager who cannot manage, a ­politician with no political instinct.
The Prime Minister is just an empty suit — and he likely didn't even pay for the suit ­himself. He probably got Labour donor Lord Ali to buy it for him.
Starmer can keep telling us that his Chancellor is going nowhere but we all know her exit from the Treasury will come sooner rather than later.
The question remains, after his damaging and chaotic first 12 months in office, can the country survive another year of this Prime Minister?
VYLAN COUNT COST OF HATE
WORDS have consequences, as the Left-wing cancel culture mob have cried for years as they happily ended the careers of anyone who dared to question them.
Well, indeed they do for Bob Vylan, the punk-rap duo from the mean streets of Ipswich, who led chants of 'Death, death to the IDF' and ranted about 'f***ing Zionists' during their Glastonbury performance as it was live-streamed on the BBC iPlayer.
Not only do they now face a criminal investigation over their antisemitic chants, they've been dropped by their management, seen visas for a US tour revoked, and UK gigs have been cancelled. Oops.
There have been consequences too for the BBC, where institutional antisemitism is now so part and parcel of the corporation's culture that, no one – not even the Director General Tim Davie – could spot the obvious anti-Jew hatred in those chants and shut down the live feed from public view.
Now the BBC has said it will no longer live-broadcast 'high risk' performances and staff may face disciplinary action for any failures. As Bob Vylan face the fallout from their 'music' hate-fest, they should learn a lesson from another Glasto performer.
As Rod Stewart proved, there's a lot more longevity in showbiz for entertainers who show musical talent than there is for those spewing vile torrents of hate. Oh yes, and a bevy of beautiful leggy blonde backing singers helps too.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Roadside litter: Power to fine registered keepers requested
Roadside litter: Power to fine registered keepers requested

South Wales Argus

time20 minutes ago

  • South Wales Argus

Roadside litter: Power to fine registered keepers requested

At present councils can only issue fines to someone seen throwing litter from a vehicle, if they have evidence to support the accusation, but Monmouthshire councillors have backed a call to allow the registered keeper of a vehicle to be prosecuted, or fined, if anyone throws litter from it. Usk and Llanbadoc independent councillor Meirion Howells brought the suggestion to the full council's most recent meeting and said the current law means it is difficult to prove who has thrown litter, from a vehicle, and the changes he proposed have already been introduced in England. Conservative councillor for Llanfoist and Govilon, Tomos Davies, welcomed the motion and the chance it could give the authority to address the source of road side litter which many councillors said is often cleared by volunteers. 'We as councillors owe volunteers more than thanks we owe you some action,' said Cllr Davies who said the council had issued no fixed penalties for littering last year. He also suggested the Welsh Government should pilot a scheme to allow drivers to upload dashcam footage if they've captured litter being thrown from vehicles to be used as evidence which he said is already being done in neighbouring Gloucestershire. Cllr Davies also said the frequency of grass cutting on verges should be increased as a way of addressing litter and suggested applying 'subtle pressure' on community councils that could help fund additional road sweeping machines. Council deputy leader, Labour's Paul Griffiths, said he is a former board member of Keep Wales Tidy and is still a volunteer litter picker and would like the Welsh Government to address litter from takeaways, providing 'fast food on the hoof', without punishing businesses that provide dine in services. The motion was passed and as well as requiring the council's cabinet member for climate change, Catrin Maby, asks the Welsh Government to introduce legislation to prosecute registered keepers requests guidance is issued to councils on how they could use the powers and provide them with the resources to do so.

Labour Government report card as Keir Starmer marks one year in power after torrid 12 months
Labour Government report card as Keir Starmer marks one year in power after torrid 12 months

Daily Record

time26 minutes ago

  • Daily Record

Labour Government report card as Keir Starmer marks one year in power after torrid 12 months

Labour has endured a difficult year in office since returning to power at Westminster for the first time since 2010. But how is the UK Government performing on the big issues? COST OF LIVING UK inflation peaked in 2022 at an eyewatering 11 per cent. The cost of food staples more than doubled. Inflation was falling before Labour took power. But a spike in council tax bills and NI on employers in April saw inflation climb back to 3.5 per cent. The rise is partly down to increases in airline fares and the cost of eating out. Trump's tariffs don't help either. But the bottom line is many people are still struggling to make ends meet. ‌ 4/10 ‌ ECONOMY Economic growth was made the new Government's top priority after it took office. The economy had fallen into recession at the end of 2023 under the Tories but rebounded in the first half of 2024. Since then, growth has been sluggish. Although the economy grew more than expected in the first quarter of 2025, analysts warn that the disruption and uncertainty caused by the US trade tariffs which began in April could limit growth in the later part of the year. 5/10 WINTER FUEL PAYMENT When Gordon Brown first introduced the winter fuel payment, pensioners were the worst-off group in society. That's no longer the case. There is a valid argument that the richest pensioners don't need a payment to help with their heating bills. But the decision by Rachel Reeves last summer to suddenly remove the benefit from 90 per cent of pensioners, with no warning, was a political disaster. It put the new Government on the backfoot and severely damaged trust in Labour. 1/10 ‌ DEVOLUTION Relations between Holyrood and Westminster reached an all-time low when Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon were in power and scarcely improved under Rishi Sunak. But Keir Starmer has struck up a more positive working relationship with John Swinney. The UK Government has promised to help Holyrood to mitigate the impact of two-child cap benefit cap in Scotland, without yet committing to scrapping it elsewhere. There was also constructive talks on Grangemouth - although not enough to save the refinery from closure. 7/10 ‌ DEFENCE When Labour took power in 1997, the party enjoyed the luxury of a booming economy and relative peace across Europe and the Middle East. But the reality in 2025 is very different. An aggressive Russia remains at war in Ukraine. The Middle East teeters on the brink. Europe can no longer rely on the US in the Trump era. Starmer has recognised this and pledged to increase defence spending. In an era of already tight public finances, it's a tough choice. But there is little alternative. 7/10 ‌ MINIMUM WAGE Labour promised to raise the minimum wage for workers, and on this at least it has delivered. Three and a half million low-paid workers saw their wages rise on April 1. The National Living Wage paid to over-21s went up by 6.7% and the National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds rose by 16%. A higher hourly rate called the Real Living Wage, paid voluntarily by some UK businesses to half a million people, has also gone up. 8/10 ‌ WELFARE Labour argued too many people were becoming reliant on benefits at a young age instead of finding work. But plans announced by Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, to reform the system were quickly viewed as an exercise in saving the Government money by taking away benefits from the disabled. Facing a major backbench rebellion, and possible defeat in the Commons, the Government was forced into a rapid climbdown. Spending on welfare will now continue to rise. And money will need to be found from elsewhere to pay for it. The Government's authority has been weakened in the process. 2/10

Scottish Labour MPs call for UK Government to 'tell a better story' on election anniversary
Scottish Labour MPs call for UK Government to 'tell a better story' on election anniversary

Daily Record

time27 minutes ago

  • Daily Record

Scottish Labour MPs call for UK Government to 'tell a better story' on election anniversary

EXCLUSIVE: Speaking to the Record, Scottish Labour MPs have given their verdicts on a difficult first year in charge for Keir Starmer. Scottish Labour MPs have called for the UK Government to 'tell a better story' and 'learn quickly from our mistakes' a year on from the party's historic election victory. Graeme Downie said the Labour Government must 'keep on doing' things like increasing the minimum wage and helping people with energy bills. ‌ Fellow MP Joani Reid said the Government 'haven't moved as quickly or delivered as effectively as I'd have liked in some areas' but said there has been 'genuine progress'. ‌ Labour secured a landslide win over the Tories last year - with Keir Starmer becoming the first Labour Prime Minister for 14 years. Scots also overwhelmingly backed Labour, with the party winning 37 of the 57 constituencies north of the border. However, the Government has been dogged by criticism over policies like cutting winter fuel payments and proposing cuts to disability benefits. Starmer's poll rating has tanked and Labour are at risk from Nigel Farage's Reform UK. Speaking to the Record, Scottish Labour MPs gave their verdict on a difficult first year. Dunfermline and Dollar MP Downie said: "We need to tell a better story focussed on what we are doing for people, not just large numbers of investment so when people feel they have more money in their pocket they know it is thanks to this UK Labour government. ‌ "We have already delivered a pay rise for 200,000 of the lowest paid, extending £150 off energy bills to over 500,000 households and savings on petrol by extending the fuel duty cut as well as putting money in the pocket of former miners by solving the injustice of their pensions. "Those are the kinds of things we need to keep on doing because people will feel the benefit." ‌ East Kilbride and Strathaven MP Reid said: 'One year into a Labour government, it hasn't been easy. We inherited huge economic challenges made tougher by global instability. People already know the mess we took on; they don't want politicians complaining about how difficult the job is—and frankly, I don't like doing it. We applied to run the country, so it's our responsibility to get on with fixing it. 'We haven't been perfect, and we haven't moved as quickly or delivered as effectively as I'd have liked in some areas. But we have made genuine progress. 'In East Kilbride, we've protected hundreds of jobs by saving the international development office from Tory closure. ‌ 'Thousands of local people received a decent pay rise when we increased the minimum wage in April. And nationally, we've begun delivering on our promises: a proper new deal for working people, tackling insecure work, and laying foundations for a fairer economy. 'Scotland has huge opportunities ahead—especially in defence industries and clean energy jobs. But to seize them fully, we need change at Holyrood too, so we can fix the NHS and education system after years of neglect. 'People rightly want results, not excuses. Our task now is clear: deliver faster, learn quickly from our mistakes, and keep working to build the country people deserve.' ‌ MPs believe there have been positives over the last year, including a rise in the minimum wage and a boost to workers' rights. They also believe Starmer has risen to the challenge on foreign affairs. ‌ Western Isles MP Torcuil Crichton said it was important that the Government focuses on the cost of living from now on. He said: " It's going to be defined by three things: living standards, energy and international affairs. "On living standards we've still got a job to do... Let's double down on improving people's standard of living. ‌ "Let's get the energy transition right by making sure there are jobs there for people and that communities benefit as well, because there are massive profits being made here and we can use that to change people's lives. " ‌ Glenrothes MP Richard Baker, who initially backed plans to sink the Government welfare reform. said the party needed to be 'relentless' about getting its message across. He said: "What we want to do in terms of the party in Westminster is ensuring we are relentless at getting across the positive things we are doing and focusing on where we are making achievements which really matter to the folk of Scotland, like increasing minimum wage, workers' rights, wages going up faster than the cost of living, growing the economy. "There are loads of good things happening. It's about focusing more on that and making sure we are relentless about that message." ‌ SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn said: 'Keir Starmer's first year in office speaks for itself – a litany of broken promises, u-turns, scandals, and failures on the economy that have removed optimism from a public who were so desperate for change. "Voters were promised a new direction but instead they got more of the same Westminster cuts and failure. Families and small businesses hammered by tax hikes, and soaring bills - with millions of people feeling worse off whilst being lectured that things are getting better. ‌ 'The UK economy has been downgraded, public finances have deteriorated, unemployment is up, poverty is at record levels and the cost of food, energy and household bills have risen by hundreds of pounds on Keir Starmer's watch. "When people look back on the Labour Party's year in office they will remember the cuts to disabled people and pensioners' winter fuel payments, the betrayal of WASPI women and children in poverty, rising energy bills and food prices, and a Prime Minister who took thousands of pounds of designer clothes and freebies while imposing austerity cuts on the rest of us. "That is not the new direction people in Scotland wanted nor deserved."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store