Reeves faces a difficult weekend

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SIX THINGS TO TALK ABOUT
Reeves faces a difficult weekend | Linehan attempts to rebuild his life | 70s food | Feline history | Famous face in panto drama | A stunning Perth home for sale

🍸 It’s going to be a difficult weekend for Rachel Reeves. She’s facing claims she misled the public over the state of the UK’s finances in order to justify £26 billion in tax rises in the budget this week

The Conservatives allege she allowed claims of a £30 billion black hole in the nation’s finances circulate when, in fact, she’d been sent a memo a month ago letting her know she was sitting on a surplus of £4.2 billion.

There was an earlier memo - sent to her on September 17 - saying the OBR’s notorious productivity recalculation, expected to punch a big hole in finances, was more than offset by a rise in tax revenue.

Despite that, she delivered her highly unusual pre-budget speech on November 4, specifically pointing to weak UK productivity and “lower tax receipts” as a consequence, hinting in interviews later that she might increase income tax “because the situation is difficult”.

She denies misleading anyone, but it’s hard to square what we saw and heard in public with what we now know Reeves was being advised in private. (BBC)

• “Liar” Reeves must go (Daily Mail)

• Reeves has lost all trust. She must resign (Telegraph - 🎁gift link)

• Reeves: Britain’s wealthy must shoulder burden of rebuilding public services (The Guardian has an exclusive interview)

Upgrade to read the full Party Line, including an interesting profile of Graham Linehan, news of a Hollywood star getting into the panto spirit, a hilarious look back at 70s cookery, news of how cats came to domesticate us (or is it the other way around?) and a stunning Perthshire home that’s hit the market.

PLUS: find top TV, film and sporting picks for the weekend.

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