Chancellor Rachel Reeves and PM Keir Starmer are supposed to be on the same side but you do wonder (Image: Getty)
There are plenty of candidates, given Labour's desperate talent shortage. But one in particular stands out.
First, though, Starmer should start by blaming himself. Because what's the point of preparing a big set-piece speech when you've got nothing new to say?
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are making one key mistake on economy
70 Comments
Rachel Reeves' dead hand economics and how she is digging a hole for herself
98 Comments
Labour is killing the economy and it hasn't even got started yet!
1320 Comments
Labour plan to renationalise British steel industry blasted as 'complete disgrace'
35 Comments
Rachel Reeves blasted over Brexit betrayal as she plots major 'reset' with EU
1739 Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out more tax rises before next general election
39 Comments
Rachel Reeves' great escape - how Labour Chancellor could blunder way to Budget win
22 Comments
Pensioners in UK county given free air fryers and slow cookers after winter fuel cut
8 Comments
Cruel Rachel Reeves takes winter fuel payment from her OWN elderly mother
532 Comments
Labour has never understood countryside and is making same mistakes as Blair
71 Comments
Labour's bad politics is paving the way for a Tory comeback
166 Comments
Brits set to be offered free electricity - but there's one big catch
101 Comments
The most helpful thing Labour can do for small businesses is to get out of their way
19 Comments
Cheery Rachel Reeves thinks she's weathered the storm - but the worst is still to come
430 Comments
Kier - this is utterly ridiculous! Bin your pointless lists and do some governing
273 Comments
Keir Starmer's slapstick Cabinet show Labour still hasn't learned its lesson
328 Comments
Exposed: Rachel Reeves and Sadiq Khan endorsed Just Stop Oil activist's climate report
69 Comments
Keir Starmer warned taxpayers must not bear cost of 'failed tactic' of nationalisation
36 Comments
Keir Starmer ‘to seek foreign investment' for UK nuclear project
230 Comments
Ed Miliband is fast-resembling a cult leader - only no-one cares what he says
108 Comments
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are making one key mistake on economy
70 Comments
Rachel Reeves' dead hand economics and how she is digging a hole for herself
98 Comments
Labour is killing the economy and it hasn't even got started yet!
1320 Comments
Labour plan to renationalise British steel industry blasted as 'complete disgrace'
35 Comments
Rachel Reeves blasted over Brexit betrayal as she plots major 'reset' with EU
1739 Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out more tax rises before next general election
39 Comments
Rachel Reeves' great escape - how Labour Chancellor could blunder way to Budget win
22 Comments
Pensioners in UK county given free air fryers and slow cookers after winter fuel cut
8 Comments
Cruel Rachel Reeves takes winter fuel payment from her OWN elderly mother
532 Comments
Labour has never understood countryside and is making same mistakes as Blair
71 Comments
Labour's bad politics is paving the way for a Tory comeback
166 Comments
Brits set to be offered free electricity - but there's one big catch
101 Comments
The most helpful thing Labour can do for small businesses is to get out of their way
19 Comments
Cheery Rachel Reeves thinks she's weathered the storm - but the worst is still to come
430 Comments
Kier - this is utterly ridiculous! Bin your pointless lists and do some governing
273 Comments
Keir Starmer's slapstick Cabinet show Labour still hasn't learned its lesson
328 Comments
Exposed: Rachel Reeves and Sadiq Khan endorsed Just Stop Oil activist's climate report
69 Comments
Keir Starmer warned taxpayers must not bear cost of 'failed tactic' of nationalisation
36 Comments
Keir Starmer ‘to seek foreign investment' for UK nuclear project
230 Comments
Ed Miliband is fast-resembling a cult leader - only no-one cares what he says
108 Comments
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are making one key mistake on economy
70 Comments
Rachel Reeves' dead hand economics and how she is digging a hole for herself
98 Comments
Labour is killing the economy and it hasn't even got started yet!
1320 Comments
Labour plan to renationalise British steel industry blasted as 'complete disgrace'
35 Comments
Rachel Reeves blasted over Brexit betrayal as she plots major 'reset' with EU
1739 Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out more tax rises before next general election
39 Comments
Rachel Reeves' great escape - how Labour Chancellor could blunder way to Budget win
22 Comments
All he did was double down on a lot of weak ideas and impossible targets that Labour will never hit.
Waffling on about “milestones for a mission-led government” only shows that Starmer has nothing meaningful or measurable to say.
But Starmer won’t blame himself. The PM exhibits all the self-knowledge of Greg Wallace’s Instagram feed.
So he’ll continue to shoot himself in the foot every time he opens his mouth. And he won’t be the only one.
Misfiring energy secretary Ed Miliband will pepper Labour's credibility as his rushed energy transition threatens blackouts and sends electricity bills through the roof.
Angela Rayner, secretary of state for housing, will blow another hole in business growth with her ￡5billion employment rights package.
Incredibly, neither is Starmer’s biggest liability. That honour belongs to his closest political ally, chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Don't miss... 'Verdict on Rachel Reeves's horror Budget is in - and it's worse than imagined' [LATEST]
What a disappointment she's been. During the election, we heard a lot about how clever she was, but that was based on an older version of her CV.
There's nothing clever about her stint as chancellor, either politically or economically.
Her first move was to turn millions of pensioners against Labour by axing their Winter Fuel Payment. Labour's own figures show almost 4,000 will die as a result.
Reeves pushed that through despite warnings from Treasury officials, thinking it would show she was willing to make tough decisions.
That was only the start.
She went on to talk down Britain, panic businesses and consumers with pre-Budget threats, then confirm their worst fears with the biggest peace time tax raid in history.
None of this will reduce the deficit, cut the national debt or get the economy moving again, which is what Labour has pledged to do. Quite the reverse.
While Starmer shot himself in the foot yesterday, he was already hobbled by Reeves.
Don't miss...
'Hidden Budget tax risk could ‘devastate’ UK economy in latest Reeves fiasco' [LATEST]
‘Nightmare before Christmas as 'Grinch' Starmer wrecks festive shopping spirit' [INSIGHT]
Awkward moment for Starmer as BBC host asks ‘why are you so unpopular?' [REVEAL]
Trending
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Labour has zero chance of delivering on Starmer's Plan for Change because it relies on a growing economy, and Reeves has sent it into reverse.
Today the Confederation for British industry (CBI) warned that Budget tax hikes will hit household incomes.
This will blow a hole in Starmer’s newly minted goal of of “raising living standards in every part of the UK”.
That's another of his “measurable milestones”. One so vague it's impossible to measure in any meaningful way.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are making one key mistake on economy
70 Comments
Rachel Reeves' dead hand economics and how she is digging a hole for herself
98 Comments
Labour is killing the economy and it hasn't even got started yet!
1320 Comments
Labour plan to renationalise British steel industry blasted as 'complete disgrace'
35 Comments
Rachel Reeves blasted over Brexit betrayal as she plots major 'reset' with EU
1739 Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out more tax rises before next general election
39 Comments
Rachel Reeves' great escape - how Labour Chancellor could blunder way to Budget win
22 Comments
Pensioners in UK county given free air fryers and slow cookers after winter fuel cut
8 Comments
Cruel Rachel Reeves takes winter fuel payment from her OWN elderly mother
532 Comments
Labour has never understood countryside and is making same mistakes as Blair
71 Comments
Labour's bad politics is paving the way for a Tory comeback
166 Comments
Brits set to be offered free electricity - but there's one big catch
101 Comments
The most helpful thing Labour can do for small businesses is to get out of their way
19 Comments
Cheery Rachel Reeves thinks she's weathered the storm - but the worst is still to come
430 Comments
Kier - this is utterly ridiculous! Bin your pointless lists and do some governing
273 Comments
Keir Starmer's slapstick Cabinet show Labour still hasn't learned its lesson
328 Comments
Exposed: Rachel Reeves and Sadiq Khan endorsed Just Stop Oil activist's climate report
69 Comments
Keir Starmer warned taxpayers must not bear cost of 'failed tactic' of nationalisation
36 Comments
Keir Starmer ‘to seek foreign investment' for UK nuclear project
230 Comments
Ed Miliband is fast-resembling a cult leader - only no-one cares what he says
108 Comments
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are making one key mistake on economy
70 Comments
Rachel Reeves' dead hand economics and how she is digging a hole for herself
98 Comments
Labour is killing the economy and it hasn't even got started yet!
1320 Comments
Labour plan to renationalise British steel industry blasted as 'complete disgrace'
35 Comments
Rachel Reeves blasted over Brexit betrayal as she plots major 'reset' with EU
1739 Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out more tax rises before next general election
39 Comments
Rachel Reeves' great escape - how Labour Chancellor could blunder way to Budget win
22 Comments
Pensioners in UK county given free air fryers and slow cookers after winter fuel cut
8 Comments
Cruel Rachel Reeves takes winter fuel payment from her OWN elderly mother
532 Comments
Labour has never understood countryside and is making same mistakes as Blair
71 Comments
Labour's bad politics is paving the way for a Tory comeback
166 Comments
Brits set to be offered free electricity - but there's one big catch
101 Comments
The most helpful thing Labour can do for small businesses is to get out of their way
19 Comments
Cheery Rachel Reeves thinks she's weathered the storm - but the worst is still to come
430 Comments
Kier - this is utterly ridiculous! Bin your pointless lists and do some governing
273 Comments
Keir Starmer's slapstick Cabinet show Labour still hasn't learned its lesson
328 Comments
Exposed: Rachel Reeves and Sadiq Khan endorsed Just Stop Oil activist's climate report
69 Comments
Keir Starmer warned taxpayers must not bear cost of 'failed tactic' of nationalisation
36 Comments
Keir Starmer ‘to seek foreign investment' for UK nuclear project
230 Comments
Ed Miliband is fast-resembling a cult leader - only no-one cares what he says
108 Comments
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are making one key mistake on economy
70 Comments
Rachel Reeves' dead hand economics and how she is digging a hole for herself
98 Comments
Labour is killing the economy and it hasn't even got started yet!
1320 Comments
Labour plan to renationalise British steel industry blasted as 'complete disgrace'
35 Comments
Rachel Reeves blasted over Brexit betrayal as she plots major 'reset' with EU
1739 Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out more tax rises before next general election
39 Comments
Rachel Reeves' great escape - how Labour Chancellor could blunder way to Budget win
22 Comments
With allies like Reeves, Starmer doesn't need enemies (although he has plenty of those too).
If I was the PM, I’d be examining my footwear, and wondering where all the holes came from. Then I'd want a quiet word with Rachel Reeves.
After that, Starmer should look to himself.