Rachel Reeves has been chosen as “the worst politician of 2024” with even moderate voices declaring that they would “get rid of her” if they were Keir Starmer.
The award was delivered on the Rest is Politics podcast by former Conservative MP Rory Stewart who pointed to recent economic statistics as justification for giving the award to Reeves.
Stewart told co-host and former Tony Blair Director of Communications Alastair Campbell that: “Although her budget on the day felt as though it was quite skilful, we’ve now entered the third consecutive month of the economy contracting.
“If I were Keir Starmer, I’d be getting rid of her.”
Stewart is a former remainer who stood unsuccessfully for the Conservative leadership in a contest eventually won by Boris Johnson.
Reeves made history this year as she became the first woman to hold the role of Chancellor in Britain’s history.
But her election was the high point as controversial policy choices and a stagnant economy have seen her ratings plummet dramatically.
Yesterday, a revision to official figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the economy stagnated in the third quarter of the year.
The figures showed reduced growth for the period July – September to zero, down from 0.1% with living standards also declining.
Reeves responded to the figures saying that they were only “fuelling our fire to deliver”.
She said: “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.”
Reeves’s policy choices have been controversial since taking office, with her budget in October managing to draw the ire from multiple demographics, including pensioners, farmers and business owners.
The Chancellor has also come under fire for changes made to her CV, with some accusing the former economist of exaggerating her experience and credentials for the role.
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