Shadow chancellor John McDonnell
he government’s “shambolic” approach to Brexit is failing to equip the UK economy for leaving the EU, shadow chancellor John McDonnell will say.
Mr McDonnell will accuse Chancellor Philip Hammond of being isolated from cabinet colleagues and will say he is “too weak” to make Brexit a success.
He will call on Mr Hammond to abandon austerity in the Autumn Statement next week, and reverse planned benefit cuts.
But Treasury minister David Gauke said Labour had “zero” economic credibility.
In a speech in central London later, Mr McDonnell will accuse ministers of plotting a “closed-minded Brexit” that “works only for bankers and the rich, instead of one that’s based on fairness and works for the rest of us”.
‘Wrong ambitions’
Setting out Labour’s position ahead of the Autumn Statement – to be made next Wednesday – he will say the government has “the wrong ambitions for the economy and the wrong ambitions for Brexit”.
Their approach will “continue to undermine the ambitions of working people”, he will say.
Mr McDonnell will say: “We need a credible fiscal framework that supports Brexit; we need actual support for those in work on low and middle incomes; and we need secure and properly funded public services.
“We want to see an end to austerity, with the NHS and social care properly funded and ESA (employment and support allowance) and Universal Credit cuts reversed.
“We want to see an end to tax giveaways for the wealthy. And we need a serious commitment from government to invest across the whole of our country.” (bbcnews)
