Here’s why Rachel Reeves’s ‘war on waste’ will be a hard battle: Labour ministers and civil servants will say every extravagance is to “enhance the image of the government”.
Reeves has demanded five per cent “efficiency savings” from every government department in a review of spending before new budgets are set late next year (2025).
She wants them to concentrate their spending on the priorities listed by Keir Starmer in his “plan for change” that was announced last week – implying that areas not deemed a priority will be downgraded.
So where does spending £1,200 on just two ministerial folders fit in with those priorities, as the Department of Culture, Media and Sport – run by Lisa Nandy [pictured] – has done?
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it? Nowhere.
But apparently the line that’s being used is that the folders from luxury leather goods manufacturer Barrow Hepburn & Gale, that sells the same folders and ministerial Red Boxes to other government departments and also supplies the Royal Family with goods, “enhance the image of the government”.
Reeves herself also uses a Barrow Hepburn & Gale Red Box and folders, so if she kicks up a fuss she can be accused of hypocrisy.
But some might say the hypocrisy is all-too-evident in the response from a government spokesperson, who said it was “entirely focused on ensuring every pound of spending represents the best value for taxpayers, while also increasing investment in our public services and delivering on key growth projects”.
Oh, really? I think hard-pressed households who are having their spending power squeezed to extinction might look askance at such obvious nonsense.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
Here’s why Rachel Reeves’s ‘war on waste’ will be a hard battle
Here’s why Rachel Reeves’s ‘war on waste’ will be a hard battle: Labour ministers and civil servants will say every extravagance is to “enhance the image of the government”.
Reeves has demanded five per cent “efficiency savings” from every government department in a review of spending before new budgets are set late next year (2025).
She wants them to concentrate their spending on the priorities listed by Keir Starmer in his “plan for change” that was announced last week – implying that areas not deemed a priority will be downgraded.
So where does spending £1,200 on just two ministerial folders fit in with those priorities, as the Department of Culture, Media and Sport – run by Lisa Nandy [pictured] – has done?
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it? Nowhere.
But apparently the line that’s being used is that the folders from luxury leather goods manufacturer Barrow Hepburn & Gale, that sells the same folders and ministerial Red Boxes to other government departments and also supplies the Royal Family with goods, “enhance the image of the government”.
Reeves herself also uses a Barrow Hepburn & Gale Red Box and folders, so if she kicks up a fuss she can be accused of hypocrisy.
But some might say the hypocrisy is all-too-evident in the response from a government spokesperson, who said it was “entirely focused on ensuring every pound of spending represents the best value for taxpayers, while also increasing investment in our public services and delivering on key growth projects”.
Oh, really? I think hard-pressed households who are having their spending power squeezed to extinction might look askance at such obvious nonsense.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
you might also like
Let’s start the New Year with some hopeful news
More mistakes in the script? Correcting Cameron’s New Year speech
The lies that smashed the unions and destroyed our coal industry