David Starkey: Rachel Reeves is Liz Truss without the intelligence

David Starkey has told GB News that Rachel Reeves is “Liz Truss without the intelligence” in a devastating blow to the Chancellor.

The historian described it as a “terrible thing to say” and compared the Labour MP with a “pre-decayed lettuce” in reference to an infamous stunt which saw Liz Truss resign as prime minister before a lettuce could decay.

Starkey warned that Reeves’ approach to the economy will “lead to devastating inflation”.

While Starkey conceded that the annual inflation rate was 2.8% in February 2025, down from 3.0% in January, he predicted it will soon rise again.

“I would reckon it will rise very much more sharply than most people are predicting,” he added.

The historian said that the Chancellor was unable to borrow money, “but she enormously raised taxes and she threw those taxes directly into public sector wages, which go straight into the economy”.

His comments come after Reeves refused to rule out tax increases this autumn, as concerns grow that Donald Trump’s trade war could harm the economy.

Speaking just a week after delivering her Spring Statement, the Chancellor told MPs that while she would not need to raise taxes on the same scale as last year, she stopped short of ruling out further hikes.

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