Can Starmer Survive as Labour Faces a Budget Crisis?

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00:00And we do know that the Reform Party, which, of course, Nigel Farage leads, is leading in the polls.

00:06So if we do get a general election soon, it'll be interesting to see what comes of that.

00:12But, Isabel, what I find fascinating is Keir Starmer right now is fighting for his political life.

00:20But this all comes before the Chancellor's autumn budget, which is just two weeks time.

00:26It's not looking positive for the people who voted for Labour.

00:31They could break their manifesto commitments, which will be a huge blow.

00:37And things are just getting even worse.

00:39How can you be fighting for your political life at such a crucial time?

00:44Well, because they lied to the electorate on their mandate, you know, on their manifesto even.

00:49You know, it was perfectly obvious to me that all of the parties and the Institute for Fiscal Studies said the same thing,

00:55that none of them were honest about what the public were going to have to face,

00:58which was unless we had significant growth, then we were going to have to see tax rises.

01:02Now, we've had a report out this week, which is from multiple institutions,

01:07which have come out showing the true cost of Brexit is more than we even thought,

01:11between 6% and 8% of GDP every year.

01:14And the cost of it is going to increase every year, not diminish.

01:17And the backdrop to that is that we have sluggish growth.

01:22We have people out of employment, higher levels of unemployment than in recent years.

01:28And unfortunately, that means the British public will have to pay more.

01:32And so they're going to break a manifesto pledge, which is why they're all infighting,

01:35because they're going to have to face up to the consequences of that.

01:39The Chancellor is simply doing the Prime Minister's bidding.

01:42The reality is, even if West Streeting or whoever it might be did replace Keir Starmer,

01:48you know, without a general election, but, you know, say, for example,

01:51he resigned and then there was a leadership contest, they would have the same problems.

01:55And unless you are going to elect a populist government,

01:59which is what ultimately Nigel Farage is leaning towards and wanting to promise,

02:06then, you know, you're still lying to the public.

02:09You're not giving them honest answers to difficult questions.

02:12And I still don't see how else we can get ourselves out of this situation

02:16unless taxes go up, however unfortunate that is in two weeks' time.