Why did it take Labour 14 years to return to power? There are many answers to that question but one of them is how successfully the Conservatives toxified the party’s economic reputation. David Cameron and George Osborne used the weeks that followed the 2010 general election to speak repeatedly of “the mess” left by the last Labour government. This helped the Tories justify their austerity programme and entrenched their political advantage on the economy.
In her first speech as Chancellor today, Rachel Reeves will signal that she has learned from this strategy. “We face the legacy of 14 years of chaos and economic irresponsibility,” she will declare to an audience of business leaders at the Treasury.
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