Reeves' top task is to get Britain working again

EVERY NOW and then, politics throws up an irony so bitter it feels like we are being taunted by the gods.

- By Joe Shalam

Rachel Reeves must tackle the welfare crisis, to get youngsters into the workforce and drive growth

Last week the Centre for Social Justice revealed that the Government's decision to abandon reform of Britain's broken welfare system will cost taxpayers over £25billion a year.

That is almost exactly the same amount of money Rachel Reeves has reportedly been at pains to find in order to fill the black hole in this week's Budget.

Had ministers adopted a path to keep spiralling health benefits at today's (elevated) level, the Chancellor could have been preparing to cut income tax, to put more money into NHS care or defence or, dare I say, to pay down some of Britain's colossal debt pile.

Instead, she is on course to raise taxes on working people - perhaps even breaking a manifesto commitment all just to stand still.

Meanwhile, the CSJ calculate every taxpayer will be shelling out an extra £700 to fund the rising sickness benefit bill, and that's before taking into account the potential £3billion cost of scrapping the two-child limit on benefits.

Demanding that "alarm clock Britain" stumps up ever more in tax while welfare budgets soar is, to quote Yes, Minister, a brave political gamble.