The previous few weeks have proved troublesome for Rachel Reeves. In public, the information has been dominated by Labour’s U-turn on the winter gasoline allowance. In personal, the Treasury has been caught up in wrangle after wrangle with ministers, all negotiating what their departments would obtain within the spending overview.
Reeves’ speech to parliament on Wednesday asserting the overview was an opportunity to inform a extra optimistic story – notably for a authorities accused of missing route and ambition.
As economics editor Heather Stewart studies, there have been some massive winners: well being, defence, and housing. But on the identical time, day-to-day spending for some departments – comparable to native authorities or the surroundings – appears very tight.
So, asks Helen Pidd, will Labour permit these companies to return below much more stress, or will Reeves must finally increase taxes to fund them too?
