Chancellor takes swipe at rivals seeking 'reckless economic choices'

Rachel Reeves has warned that Labour figures “peddling the idea” that the government could abandon fiscal responsibility to free up more money for public spending were “dangerously wrong” and risked serious damage to the economy.

- Pippa Crerar Rowena Mason

A protester waves a Palestinian flag during the chancellor's speech

In her speech to the Labour conference, and in what was widely interpreted as a criticism of Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, she urged the party to be “honest” about what calls to borrow more would actually mean.

Reeves said the country would face “further tests” in the months ahead, adding that her choices at next month’s budget would be made “all the harder” by harsh global headwinds and long-term damage done to the economy by the Conservatives.

But the chancellor also urged Labour to “have faith” that things would get better, despite the difficult economic backdrop. Taking on Nigel Farage’s Reform UK directly, she said she wanted to “silence the nagging voices of decline”.

“There is further to go, but whatever tests confront us, have faith because our party and our country have overcome greater challenges than these. Have faith because the opportunity to serve is what we came into this for,” she said.