Reeves: Of course you are going to disappoint people as Chancellor
Rachel Reeves admits Labour has “disappointed” people while in UK government.
The politician said she understood that being Chancellor meant making unpopular decisions.
She told an audience at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that Labour had got the balance right between tax, spending and borrowing.
But she said that balancing the books meant making tough decisions, even if they are unpopular.
‘Impatient for change’
Appearing on the Iain Dale All Talk fringe show, she said: “The reason people voted Labour at the last election is they want to change and they were unhappy with the way that the country was being governed.
“They know that we inherited a mess. They know it’s not easy to put it right, but people are impatient for change.
“I’m impatient for change as well, but I’ve also got the job of making sure the sums always add up – and it doesn’t always make you popular because you can’t do anything you might want to do. You certainly can’t do everything straight away, all at once.”
Ms Reeves pointed to Labour’s £200 million investment in carbon capture in the north east of Scotland, which she said was welcomed by the industry.
Balance
At the same time, Labour’s windfall tax, she said, was not liked by the sector.
“I can understand that that’s extra tax that the oil and gas sector are paying, but you can’t really have one without the other,” she said.
Defending Labour’s record, she said her party had the “balance about right”.
“But of course you’re going to disappoint people,” she added. “No-one wants to pay more taxes.
“Everyone wants more money than public spending – and borrowing is not a free option, because you’ve got to pay for it.
“I think people know those sort of constraints, but no-one really likes them and I’m the one, I guess, that has to sort the sums up.”
Ms Reeves said Labour had to deliver on its general election campaign of change, adding that her party did not “deserve” to win the next election if it does not deliver the change it promised.
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It’s like listening to George Osborne…
why is it so much trouble to tax millionaires ?
Probably because every MP, every minister and every member of the House of Lords are millionaires. All born with silver spoons…..
Are you seriously suggesting that every MP was born rich?
Yes.
And since when millionaires don’t pay taxes?
With very clever accountants the taxman probably owes the millionaires money.
Rachel, I think you can disappoint people as a human being. You appear to be a person that enjoys bringing hardship on vulnerable people but shuns away from upsetting the well-heeled, your type of person. God forbid you threaten their lavish lifestyles.
Don’t expect her to be popular, expected her to be sensible then she would have become popular did expect her to super tax Tony Blair, so sad my heart bleeds for her poor rachel wrecker Reeves.