Rishi Sunak has called on Labour to “stop playing politics” – only for critics to remind the former prime minister how his own party governed.
In a post on X, the outgoing leader of the Conservative Party claimed once again that he left a strong economic legacy for Labour as ministers have repeatedly alleged the Tories put the country’s finances into a state of ruin.
The former PM claimed: “Labour inherited the fastest growing economy in the G7.
“But the prime minister and chancellor constantly talking the economy down has already had a damaging impact on consumer and business confidence.
“Time to stop playing politics and put country first, party second.”
That last line appeared to be a jibe at Starmer, who has repeatedly claimed that his political philosophy is “country first, party second”.
The shadow chancellor Jeremy Hunt also echoed Sunak’s words, claiming: “The OECD data today yet again shows that Labour were left a strong economic inheritance, despite their desperation to say otherwise.
“The chancellor’s choices at the Budget will be hers and hers alone.”
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) today changed their forecast for 2024, suggesting that the UK’s economic growth would no longer be the weakest in the G7.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves did respond to the report, saying: “Faster economic growth figures are welcomed, but I know there is more to do and that is why economic growth is the number one mission of this government.”
But not everyone thought Sunak and Hunt’s criticism was accurate.
After all, across their 14 years in government, Conservatives ended up ripping themselves apart – and ended up with their worst electoral results ever.
And accounts on X were only too keen to remind them of how many leaders the party had in recent years...
...the dramas which rocked the country...
...why the UK ended up having a referendum on its EU membership...
...and the reality of the legacy the Tories left for Labour...