Rachel Reeves has been right to keep quiet and to try to squash discussion of the Spring economic statement this week. The long run ups to her 2 budgets encouraging gloom and speculation of big growth killing tax rises did harm.
It would however be wrong for the Chancellor to let the Spring Statement go by without trying to salvage a growth strategy from her anti growth packages of measures to date. Here are some easy changes that do not entail spending any more public money and in some cases will bring in more tax revenue
1. End the ban on new oil and gas exploration
2. Grant licences to develop existing proven oil and gas reserves
3. Redirect new grants from wilding the countryside and stopping food growing, to grants to promote more food production at home
4 Refuse to continue with big gift of our fish to EU trawlers given the absence of any wins in the EU re set negotiations
5. End the ban on new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to avoid big factory closures
6. Delay implementation of job harming Employment Act
7. Require higher proportion of UK work in defence contracts
8. Amend Habitats Directive restrictions on new housebuilding
March 3, 2026
1. Red Ed won’t let her
2. Red Ed won’t let her
3. The Eco Nutters won’t let her
4. Two-Tier won’t let her
5. Red Ed won’t let her
6. Rayner and the raving lefties won’t let her
7. Two-Tier won’t let her because he’s desperate to rejoin the EU
8. The EU won’t permit it
She’s snookered.
March 3, 2026
Exactly. She’s just a puppet controlled by her WEF masters.
She will do nothing to promote growth in fact she will be actively looking at ways to destroy us.
March 3, 2026
Good summary of the situation Donna…
March 3, 2026
Donna:
Rachel Reeves doesn’t need “Red Ed” to stop her. She’s a long-standing member of the Fabian Society serving on its executive committee. Socialism depends upon making and keeping people poor so her policies will not be intended to promote growth and in fact the false CAGW story and its Net Zero “solution” is the perfect vehicle to destroy our energy, economy and national security.
March 3, 2026
@Donna – It is the majority of Parliament that wont let her. The Government is chosen by Parliament and held to account by Parliament. It is Parliament that owns Her and the Governments direction and output.
March 3, 2026
Yes, and that includes all the Parliaments for the last 3 decades. Ed Miliband and the Fabian Rachel Reeves could not have believed their luck when Parliament made Net Zero by 2050 law and allowed mass immigration to reach over 1m in a single year.
March 3, 2026
Exactly (save me some typing)
March 3, 2026
She wouldn’t have the gumption to do it anyway.
March 3, 2026
+1
March 3, 2026
Number 9.Resign and call a General Election and let the grownups run the country
March 3, 2026
Which grownups would these be?
The betting odds suggest the chance of no overall majority is firm favourite and the chances of a Reform majority higher than any other party but only about 27% or so. The chance of Reform (or any other combination) actually being able to deliver what is needed against the Civil Service, the lefty Lords and the Blob is fairly low even if they do gain power.
For growth we need full 180 degree U turns on almost everything Starmer (and to a large degree the Con-Socialist Cameron through Sunak) have done. I expect a growth, growth, growth rain dance with more policies that are all anti-growth.
March 3, 2026
The Gorton and Denton result shows the country hasn’t yet learned the lesson of loony socialism. More pain is needed.
March 3, 2026
@Mick – its Parliament that wont allow that to many would loose their freeloading life car of everyone else
March 3, 2026
I don;t see too many grownups to choose from.
March 3, 2026
Increase the threshold for Employers NI – More hours = more / similar revenue
March 3, 2026
make work visa holders pay as much national insurance as locals do, massively popular tax rise, easily done.
March 3, 2026
You need to make (7) far more general and the first priority, at the least require majority certified British work in public sector contracts, not shell companies or (American) private equity but clearly British owned and based companies. What is the point of freeing up access to resources if you only benefit foreign asset strippers?
March 3, 2026
I see Trump in an interview with the sun says all the things the decent people of the UK think about our own government.
Well worth looking at.
He says the country is unrecognisable, he says we let too many people in, our government panders to the Muslim vote, the UK is woke, Chagos deal is crap, London mayor is crap, and so much more. Frankly Trump is correct and I am ashamed of the UK.
March 3, 2026
Iain. Two Greek warships to guard RAF Akrotiri. Shameful.
March 4, 2026
There’s a reason why he’s letting the French and Greeks “defend” us. He’s desperate to sink us into an EU Defence Pact … and he thinks this is how he demonstrates that they are “our allies” and it is in our interests ….. unlike the USA and maintaining the special relationship.
March 4, 2026
Donna: Agree. All part of the plan & his Reset launch going back to May 2025 including our fish giveaway and defence with his reminder at the Munich Security Conference to us all of his desire for a deeper security cooperation with the EU. ” Any Brexit reset by Starmer must go even further, says Europe. The EU is ‘changing’ the EU’s president of the European Parliament said in her plea for a closer partnership in a possible rebuke to Brexiteer claims the bloc’s economic growth is stagnant ” ( Daily Tel 25/2/26 ) Final deal presumably on this and everything else they are demanding, with his ‘Plan for Change’ in mind, coming after the major summit this summer in Brussels.
March 3, 2026
Iain
Many of us out here have been saying the same for years, but no one in our government past or present was listening, let alone acting, instead we were labelled racists, or members of the extreme right !
We have now bred and encouraged an attitude of entitlement, work shy, welfare dependent, snowflakes.
I really do fear for our future.
March 3, 2026
He is indeed – if only Starmer would take his wise advice. Ditch net zero subsidies and market rigging, cut taxes, cut the size of the state, drill baby drill, deter/stop low skilled and illegal immigration, incentive to work, cut red tape, relax planning, have some backbone you dithering jelly…
JR was exactly right on the appalling Gibrater deal last night on Rees-Mogg GB news too well said.
Good also to see Sir Bill Cash looking well now 85 and talking sense as usual.
March 4, 2026
It’s the highly qualified you need to reduce.They can control and make way for others
March 3, 2026
Trump is absolutely right. 30 years of the Uni-Party have utterly wrecked the UK and the Legal Android currently occupying No.10 has all the political acumen of Baldrick.
March 3, 2026
as he said today ‘ “this is not Winston Churchill we’re dealing with” and even then the President ignored the plea for action until Pearl Harbour shot them in the tender bits.
March 3, 2026
indeed and Labour/Two Tier’s pandering to the Muslim vote will in the end not even help their vote they will for their own Muslim parties. Just a Blair & Browns devolution merely helped the SNP.
To govern is to choose alas dithering Starmer is so dim that he thinks he just has to obey the mythical international law. Whose version of international law is he talking about and where are the police to enforce this anyway?
March 3, 2026
The Iran conflict has introduced a rarely-discussed friction into bullion markets – physical delivery. Dubai International Airport is a critical transit hub for gold shipments flowing from London to Asian buyers and has temporarily suspended commercial flights, following Iranian drone and missile strikes in the UAE.
Traders have reported scrambling to re-route consignments mid-transit, echoing the supply disruptions of the early pandemic period when flight shutdowns created significant pricing dislocations between London, New York, and the Asian hubs. The disruption, even if temporary, highlights a structural vulnerability in the gold’s global logistics network at precisely the moment when demand is spiking. In these circumstances, bullion investors need strong hands
A decisive break above the January price record of $5594/oz would open a path toward the $6000–$6500/oz range – targets that now appear less fanciful than they did 72 hours ago.
Reeves should instruct the BoE to divest American treasuries and use the proceeds to buy bullion. Lots of it. All the other world central banks are.
March 3, 2026
“A no cost way to promote growth”
Cut red tape, easy hire and fire, stop rigging markets:- healthcare, energy, schools, universities, work, transport, cars, home heating systems, landlord and tenant… but they are going in the reverse direction on all of these.
March 3, 2026
About the only good news around is that the UK state sector has so very much waste and spending that does nothing useful (often even huge positive harms (like Net Zero the Covid lockdowns and duff covid vaccines). Much could be so easily cut and the people released to do positive work in the private sector. So much red tape, daft employment laws, planning restrictions, payments to encourage the feckless not to work… red tape that makes even people in the state sector do entirely pointless jobs. Then we have the total insanity of Milibrain & May’s net zero.
Alas Net-Zero political will.
March 3, 2026
It doesn’t really matter what the Chancellor says, no one in business is going to trust her. They will only invest if their business absolutely demands it.
March 3, 2026
but invest where? Britain? really?
March 3, 2026
None of the things you list are decisions which can be taken by the Chancellor. Quite right too, imagine what things would be like if the Treasury mandarins were able to determine all government policy.
March 3, 2026
Lord Redwood – you appear to be suggesting that our UK Parliament, with its appointed Government should work for the Nation and its People and aid the creation of an economy, create a tomorrow…
Parliament as we all know is against that, they are the wreaking crew. Tomorrow and a vibrant dynamic future is not in the ‘Plan’
March 3, 2026
It’s optimistic to expect a labour government to plan anything but more tax hikes in the forthcoming budget. They still haven’t got past lesson-1 of, ‘What does it mean to stimulate the economy and produce growth’?
Clearly, after Starmer’s behaviour over America’s actions in Iran, he is totally against wars and should immediately stop whispering support into Zelensky’s ear, and demand de-escalation of the Ukraine war, followed by getting the best deal from any peace plan available. THAT will save us quite a few £billion each year and it means WW3 with Russia is a lot further off.
While the Iran conflict is active, Starmer should insist on no more jollies for his crew or anyone in the public sector. His ministers should make no more external visits, and be limited to Parliament, their office and their constituency. That should save not only a small fortune in wasted taxes, but also help conserve our oil supplies.
March 3, 2026
Her backbenchers won’t allow it. They know that this is there only term in office and therefore they will pursue their own agenda.
March 3, 2026
My understanding is that Rachel Reeves, all her actions and output is agreed and owned by the Collective Responsibility of Cabinet, a team that is created and run by the Prime Minister. Is she just their voice? Their collective dumb fool?
Then when these pronouncements get to Parliament at least 50% of its members have to approve of the choices made. It is by what we are told the duty of Parliament to hold the executive to account, as such it is the majority of Parliament that ‘owns’ the results created by Government.
Not to loose sight of things Parliament can vote out the Government today if they objected or disaproved to what was being imposed.
March 3, 2026
In reality Parliament is just the fodder for the Gang Boss, as the UK is not a Democracy, constituency MP’s do not represent their constituents but the views of their Gang Boss. It is the Gang Boss that can bully them, as it is the Boss that holds the purse strings to election campaigns.
March 3, 2026
My Lord Redwood, yout very sensible list is beyond the pay grade of the Chancellor. Those policy changes much needed to restart our economic growth are firmly a matter for the PM. Sadly he seems to be preoccupied with International Law (whatever that might be), we can’t expect anything positive from this government while the present team or their replacements from the Labour Party are in office.
We have got at least two more years of this economic negativity driven by Labour Policy choices.
Patience is a virtue….
March 3, 2026
Laudable and Reformesque though your eight points might be, they do not form part of Labour’s systematic plan for the destruction of the UK.
March 3, 2026
So Greece has sent fast jets, France has sent warships, to defend Cyprus while Starmer has told our forces to sit on their hands.
Meanwhile GBP is being sold off, UK investments are being sold off, with Trump pointing out the obvious about the UK has spooked the markets.
Labour really have screwed things up.
Not sure a Chancellors speech is going to fix anything.
March 3, 2026
Trump “This is not Winston Churchill that we are dealing with…” No, unfortunately not.
March 3, 2026
Biggest international conflict in modern history and both British aircraft carriers are in port in the UK. Our only serviceable attack submarine is in Australia. You really couldn’t make it up.
March 3, 2026
Iain
After years of cutting our armed forces, with little investment in either recruitment of equipment, are you surprised.
We now seem to be relying on any invasion of the UK being difficult, because the number of potholes in our roads will make sensible progress next to impossible.
March 3, 2026
perhaps inside information that Australia is about to be attacked?
Our aircraft carriers are in port more than at sea – reminds me of the Jensen cars always in a garage.
March 3, 2026
All good ideas, Lord Redwood, but the direct opposite of what Labour want to do.
In political office, a person’s character gets exposed, however carefully they try to hide it. When faced with a major crisis, they either grow to meet it or shrink away from it.
Keir Starmer has been shown to have no backbone, no character, no determination, and no leadership skills at all. He has been exposed as weak and ineffective, except when he has an opportunity to damage the UK. Like a cushion, he bears the imprint of the last person who sat on him!
March 3, 2026
The Chancellor told MPs that the Government’s job is to secure the economy against shocks such as the Iran crisis, charting a course “through uncertainty”.
“Stability is the single most important precondition for economic growth,” she told MPs.
While at the same time crucifying the job market, putting up cost exponentially and destroying industry, commerce, every industry that you can think of ‘bar’ the State. Parliament in all this, the ones that appointed the Government, the ones that hold her and the 2TK team to account, they applaud her. A job well done
March 3, 2026
The bit they Parliament are unable to comprehend, is that if money is removed from the economy, effectively from circulation, through increasing costs and taxes – the economy recedes.
People often talk about the ‘Free Lunch’ but there has never been such a thing, every penny in circulation is earned by gainful employment/production. You have to have something others will want to buy because it benefits them. Exporting UK Jobs and Money means it profits someone else while depleting the means for the UK to respond.
Earlier in this Parliament I heard Government say the Government has to do things inferring they can do it better job than those that live in the competitive World. No real world experience, no ability and they can do it better?
It’s a ‘nutty’ Parliament they need to start stepping up for common sense, get real ditch the ideology that is crippling the country and making them look like fools.
The Country can have everything it wants, the wherewithal is there, but first the money has to be earnt to pay our way in the World.
March 3, 2026
OBR Revises Labour Tax Burden Up Again to Reach Record Postwar High
https://order-order.com/2026/03/03/obr-revises-labour-tax-burden-up-again-to-reach-record-postwar-high/
Nice phraseology from the OBR Net migration will fall – thanks to people leaving the country. People have had enough and are packing their bags
March 3, 2026
To feel better during these grim days, please read reaction.life 21/06/2016 ‘what Britain looks like after Brexit’. Thanks for Dan and the others who helped us reach these sunlit uplands.
March 3, 2026
Plagiarized from Guido. To be fair anyone contribution to JR’s Diary would and has would be saying similar
Adam Smith Institute’s Joanna Marchong: It is a Statement written by spin doctors, not economists.
The IEA’s Julian Jessop: the OBR’s forecasts for growth have been revised down and those for unemployment have been revised up.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance’s John O’Connell:“The idea that the chancellor has restored economic stability will sound like a sick joke to taxpayers suffering under this government…
The Growth Commission’s Douglas McWilliams: growth will stutter because of the Chancellor’s failure to adopt policies supportive of the economy.
The Centre for Social Justice’s Joe Shalam: We already spend more on health benefits than the entire defence budget in what is a monumental waste of human potential. Repairing broken Britain is ultimately a matter of national security in a fast-changing world.”
The Centre for Policy Studies‘ Robert Colvile: instead of a proper fiscal statement, we were treated to a parade of empty and often misleading boasts
https://order-order.com/2026/03/03/think-tanks-blast-reeves-bleak-spring-statement/
March 3, 2026
“Britain must “double down” on net zero after the Iran crisis sent energy prices soaring, the Business Secretary has said.”
How is it paid for if we are an isolated importer, with no money. How stupid do these people get, earn some money then have aspirations. Cancelling earning means there is no money
March 3, 2026
I would add to your suggestions the need to develop more UK companies delivering solutions to global B2B problems with a business model which delivers step change productivity improvement to customers and to end consumers of the latter’s products and/or services – an example is Kraken Technologies (https://kraken.tech) which has developed an operating system for utilities – such companies can generate both exports and also interesting/higher paid jobs.
Such companies take a long time (20 years is not unusual) to develop into profitable businesses operating internationally. However, the UK suffers from a dearth of patient capital. Accordingly, I would like to see the reintroduction of significant taper relief on realised gains on securities held for more than five years.