Should Keir Starmer sack Rachel Reeves – vote here

Rachel Reeves has faced a grilling ever since the Autumn Budget with another wave of bad economic news sweeping the country this week.

With revised figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) showing no growth between July and September, alarm bells have been raised over the UK economy next year, casting a shadow of doubt over the Chancellor’s future.

The ONS revised the initial estimate of 0.1% down to zero percent ahead of the October Budget. Upon election, Ms Reeves had promised to accelerate the growth of the economy, however her position has once again been questioned over the flatlining economy.

The Chancellor has since tried to justify her presidency over the UK’s economic state: “The challenge we face to fix our economy and properly fund our public finances after 15 years of neglect is huge. But this is only fuelling our fire to deliver for working people.

“The Budget and our Plan for Change will deliver sustainable long-term growth, putting more money in people’s pockets through increased investment and relentless reform.”

However, with almost six months of being in Government under Labour’s belt, whose central mission is growth, question marks surround Rachel Reeves’ position.

So, should Keir Starmer sack Rachel Reeves? Vote in the poll below and have your say in the comments.

Following her tax-hungry Budget, Ms Reeves has continued to stand by her decisions, recently defending it at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference. She said despite “a lot of feedback”, she is yet to hear any alternatives on her tax and spending plans.

The Chancellor spoke to industry leaders claiming that her Budget provided the “stability and the platform that we need to move forward”.

Businesses are set to bear the brunt of tax increases which will have a major knock on effect to employees. Employers National Insurance has been hiked up by 1.2 percantage points to 15%, up from 13.8%.

The Treasury also announced a reduction in the secondary threshold, the level at which employers start paying NI, from £9,100 per year to £5,000 – a whopping 45% reduction.

Forecasts released by The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) since the Budget assume “around 60%” of the increase in costs will be passed on to employees in the short term, with things taking a dire turn in 2026/2027 where 76% of workers will face lower real wages as a result.