Has Rachel Reeves made the right choices? Our panel responds to the spending review
GuardianMAY 30
UK: Reeves Unveils Government Spending Review
Above: Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, outside 11 Downing Street ahead of the presentation of the spending review in London, U.K., on June 11, 2025. Image copyright: Chris Ratcliffe/Contributor/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
Reeves' spending review finally puts working people first after years of Tory neglect. With real investment in public services, economic stability, and growth-focused policies, Labour is rebuilding Britain's future. These are tough yet fair and responsible choices that prioritize opportunity, prosperity, and long-term renewal.
Left narrative
Labour's spending plan is nothing more than a veiled version of austerity. Instead of taxing the wealthy to fund crumbling services, Labour clings to outdated fiscal rules and market appeasement. The NHS is still fragmenting, housing plans ignore demand-side failures, and vital services remain underfunded. The U.K. needs radical rebuilding, not managed decline dressed as stability.
Right narrative
Labour's spending plan is a fiscal illusion, cutting frontline services while funneling billions into gimmicks, foreign giveaways, and bloated bureaucracy through excess borrowing. Council tax hikes and rising debt aren’t investments, they're economic sleight of hand. Reeves isn’t solving the U.K.'s problems, she’s just disguising them with accounting tricks and tired slogans.