To find Rachel Reeves an irritating pain in the neck

[Viviennemary]

Just been listening to this Spring Statement. What a load of total waffle. About how great things are going to be. Absolute and utter nonsense.

I really hope she has some good advisors working alongside her as we desperately need experienced people running the treasury. I don't dislike her but I don't think she's experienced enough to be Chancellor. When I think of Chancellors of the past, I think of Nigel Lawson, Geoffrey Howe or Winston Churchill and she seems a bit lightweight. It's great being the first female but I hope she's up to job. I don't see much evidence of the growth in the economy we need.

I don't think people understand just how much the new NI rules are going to cost companies.

So take Wetherspoons for instance. It is going to cost them an additional
£1.2 million PER WEEK. Yes per week.

Whilst many will say Wetherspoons is a bad example to give, it does demonstrate just how much it is going to cost an employer who employs a significant amount of people.

Multiply this up and down the country with other employers who also employ a fair number of staff and it's not difficult to recognise that something has to give.

What gives is expansion, staff - i.e. reduce headcount, no wage increases plus higher costs for the end consumer.

🤣🤣🤣

I much preferred their economic policy to what's happening now

big old common bird? 🙄

@friendlycat Agreed, it’s particularly appalling for businesses like Hairdressing and yes, a complete and utter disaster for hospitality.

It’s so upsetting seeing the number of small businesses going under at the moment, particularly in rural areas where they provide much needed employment.

😂

She’s lucky she’s only being called ‘Rachel from Accounts’ by most because I’ve been calling her a lot worse than that.

Oh yes they left the country in such a great state <sarcasm>. The country is a shit hole due to 14 years of Tory mismanagement.

Weird so many Tories suddenly care about the economy, NHS, business, education, etc now their lot aren't smashing them into the ground.

If only they'd held them to the same standards they hold everyone else too we might not be in the mess we're in 🤷‍♀️

I hate this term, it’s so sexist. Like a woman doesn’t have the credentials to do it. She has a PPE degree from Oxford and a Masters in Economics. Previous male Chancellors with a similar educational background never received such a demeaning nickname.

Fasting growing economy in the G7, inflation back at target.

At least they are paying their employees l suppose. They declined to do that during the pandemic

The benefits bill is a tough one. Personally l would have got rid of the triple lock first if it was me. Waaaay too expensive and indulgent to continue.

The benefits bill is a tough one. Personally l would have got rid of the triple lock first if it was me. Waaaay too expensive and indulgent to continue.

Same but they don't have the stomach for it.

What?!!

Now they are that unpopular they may as well go for it! Nowt to lose!

True

I too hate women, I mean Rachel Reeves.

Yep, being attacked form all sides. First supermarkets and internet shopping killing small shops (not helped by council stupid car park charges etc). Then comes Covid and the lockdowns where far too many small businesses got nowhere near the support they needed (if anything at all). Then comes RR with her NIC hikes and excessively restrictive employment rights. Small businesses havn't a hope in hell's chance. I really don't understand why successive governments clearly absolutely hate self employment and small businesses. They're clearly in the pockets of big business.

Exactly. When have previous Chancellors had their LinkedIn CV’s scraped over by the press to see if they have the qualifications for the job?? Very few of the Chancellors over the past 20 years have had any sort of careers in finance. But they happened to do it to the first female Chancellor? And then come up with a misogynistic nickname. Lovely.

Yes - she's dangerously incompetent and leading the country into rapid decline and another wave of austerity. The sooner she's gone the better.

Nope I think she is as competent as any other Chancellor and is getting on with making tough decisions.

People don't like her because she is making tough decisions.

Those are only tough because of the stupid combination of the tories, brexit, covid and Ukraine war. And now Trump edging us to actual war.

Of course she isn't going to shower people with extra benefit money. There isn't any. The nature of the macroeconomic and political environment has changed since July, so I can also understand why Labours approach has changed.

finally. Why should taxpayers pay more and more to prop up more and more people? If Labour are making cuts surely it's because there isn't any option.

She doesn't have the credentials. I work with dozens of people with Oxford PPE degrees and Masters in Economics (I work in investment banking). My own degree is in economics, neither me, nor my colleagues are in any way capable of being Chancellor. Having a theoretical knowledge of economics is one thing, but as she's demonstrated, putting it into practice successfully is an entirely different matter. She has no understanding whatsoever how to put the economic theory she's studied, to good use. She has no experience or understanding of business of the private sector at all.

@edwinbear who do you think was a good chancellor?