Starmer must end taboo of highlighting harm of Brexit

Ignoring the reality of why the UK’s economy has been damaged makes it hard to move on

- Chris Blackhurst

The markets are always looking ahead. Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves would do well to take that on board.

Currently, we have a prime minister who likes to remind us that Liz Truss crashed the economy and when he is not doing that, together with his chancellor, tells us how they inherited a £22bn black hole from the Tories. Meanwhile, international speculators turn their noses up at Britain’s financial prospects.

This weekend will see Reeves head to Beijing to try and secure stronger trade links with China. It would be interesting to see how the Chinese react to any attempt to hark back to the past. We want their investment now, for the future; they’re not remotely interested in who said what and when. It’s over. Likewise, Reeves and Starmer will soon be off to Davos to press the global flesh and impress. Again, going over old ground will result in stifled yawns, not promises of further meetings, and hard cash.

We’re no different, but we have no choice other than to sit and take it – Labour was elected with a huge majority and will be in power for years to come. The PM and his chancellor are doling out punishing fiscal measures, so they feel they have to justify it.

The fact we’ve heard it before, ad nauseam, and that it is part of why Keir and Rachel were voted into office, is neither here nor there. We’re desperate for good economic news. We wish to know what you’re going to do, not what others did before you. You say you will grow the economy and that’s what your administration is all about, but how, exactly? Stop treating us like imbeciles, end the platitudes, and give it to us, chapter and verse.