Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has reaffirmed his confidence in Chancellor Rachel Reeves following criticism of Labour’s recent budget, which has provoked protests from pensioners, farmers, and employers.
Speaking from the G20 summit in Brazil, Sir Keir said he remains "absolutely" supportive of Ms. Reeves and her financial strategy, despite mounting political challenges at home.
Sir Keir argued that stabilising the economy after taking power was a priority, stating:
"We had to stabilise the economy, deal with the £22bn black hole, and we needed to invest in the future of our country. The reason we got into such a mess was because the last government refused to take a single difficult decision."
In Westminster, thousands of farmers gathered to protest Labour’s planned introduction of a 20% inheritance tax (IHT) on farms valued over £1 million, set to take effect in April 2026.
While the government claims this will affect only 500 of the UK's 209,000 farms, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) has challenged these figures, asserting that the measure could impact up to two-thirds of farms and jeopardise the country’s food security.
Sir Keir maintained that the changes were necessary, but he acknowledged the concerns raised:
"The best evidence of our plan’s success is the investment that is now coming into this country in a way it wasn’t in the last 14 years."
Source:
Sky news Image:
The Guardian
