Julian Harris: Reeves Stands Firm on Energy Support
Rachel Reeves has all but ruled out a blanket energy support package — but on the details, she’s still playing for time. Get the Readout with Julian Harris.
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People want answers from Rachel Reeves. Will she subsidise energy bills, and by how much? Will she delay the increase in fuel duty? Will Labour change course on North Sea oil taxes?
This afternoon she did a valiant job of not answering any of these questions, while updating the Commons on the effects of war on Iran. One can hardly blame her: the Middle East conflict is volatile enough to send markets up and down like something I can’t mention in a family newsletter, so how can a third party government set policy with confidence? Decisions might look absurd even a day (or an hour) later, forcing those in power to quickly change tack — and we all know how this government feels about U-turns.