Rachel Reeves’s speech next week is being crafted as a ‘re-education’ on Labour’s achievements amid gloominess and sinking poll ratings

When Rachel Reeves takes to her feet in the Commons to deliver her spring statement next week, she will try to pull off what her inner circle describe as a “re-education” exercise over how Labour has used its early days in power.

“We want it to be a re-education on all the good things we’ve already done in office,” said one, listing achievements including increasing the minimum wage, cutting NHS waiting lists and improving workers’ rights. “We want everybody to hear it.”

Few Labour MPs believe there is much reason for cheer, as there is little sign of the economy improving anytime soon, with growth forecasts expected to be downgraded again next week and Reeves announcing the biggest spending cuts since austerity.

The despair came to a head this week after Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, announced £5bn of cuts to disability benefits. Despite No 10 arguing that it had a “moral case” for welfare reform as well as an economic one, many Labour MPs responded with dismay.

    • davesmith@feddit.ukEnglish
      34·
      3 days ago

      One person’s ‘almost’ is another person’s ‘no chance’. But seeing as how you are referring to something that didn’t happen, it is completely irrelevant. Meanwhile neoliberalism continues regardless.

      Humans’ inability to deal with reality is almost endless.

      It is because when presented with a fact that doesn’t conform to the reality that somebody has (co-)constructed, they have to reject the fact, because they can’t reject reality. Reality changes slowly.

      Deal with reality, as quickly as possible, because otherwise it is going to deal with us.

      • NotLemming@lemm.eeEnglish
        3·
        3 days ago

        The facts contradict what you said. Reform aren’t the only alternative presented for years and years. There was corbyn’s labour party, and he almost won - twice. The only reason he lost is that his own party repeatedly sabotaged him (and gloated about it), and the mainstream media, which smeared him, so that the most celebrated anti-racist in British politics became a racist and an anti-semite overnight.

        • davesmith@feddit.ukEnglish
          23·
          3 days ago

          Reform are the only alternative presented by the bbc and mainstream media to the red and blue tories. The Labour party smearing Corbyn, causing him to lose is precisely what I am talking about.

          Please don’t waste my time.