Rayner fires back at Tory criticism over inflation with sharp reminder of Truss era

Angela Rayner sharply criticised Tory frontbencher Alex Burghart during PMQs after he attempted to criticise the government’s handling of inflation.

Inflation Figures and the Tory Criticism

Official figures revealed that inflation increased from 1.7% to 2.3% in October, surpassing the target rate of 2%. During the exchange, Burghart, the stand-in for the new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, took aim at the government’s economic management.

Burghart, the shadow chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, asked Rayner, “What is the government doing to bring down inflation?”

Rayner’s Cutting Response

Rayner was quick to respond, reminding Burghart of his past role as minister for growth under the leadership of Liz Truss. “Many people might not know that the honourable member was the minister for growth when, under Liz Truss, inflation hit 11.1% and growth flatlined,” Rayner said. “So we’re doing much better than he did!”

Truss resigned as Prime Minister after her mini-Budget triggered a financial crisis, causing markets to panic and the pound to plummet.

Burghart’s Defence and Rayner’s Counterattack

Burghart countered, claiming that the government was not addressing inflation but actually making it worse. “First, we had above-inflation pay rises for the unions, and then we had a Budget which the OBR said would push up inflation,” Burghart argued.

He also pointed to economists predicting a 3% inflation rate next year, criticising the government’s actions for causing higher inflation and affecting working people. In response, Rayner reminded him, “11.1% or 3%?”

Blame on the Tories

Burghart defended the Tory government’s position, attributing inflation to the Ukraine war and the Covid pandemic, which he argued were the primary drivers of higher costs. He accused the government of worsening the situation for the British people, labelling it “Starmerism.”

However, Rayner was undeterred, responding sharply, “It was his government who raised taxes to their highest level in a generation. It was his government that crashed the economy, saw inflation rise to 11.1%, and growth flatline. It was his government that spent the reserves three times over. I take no lessons from the honourable gentleman!”

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