Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride faced intense questioning from Camilla Tominey over whether Chancellor Rachel Reeves should resign as he refused to “take a position” amid controversy over the Chancellors qualifications and judgment.
The confrontation came as Reeves embarked on a controversial visit to China, which has drawn criticism from opposition parties.
During an interview on GB News host Camilla Tominey asked Stride: “In your opinion, is this woman competent? Rachel from accounts, she’s being branded.
“She’s over exaggerated her qualifications on her CV. You’re the shadow chancellor. Should she resign? Is the current chancellor up to the job?”
Mel Stride blasted her “poor judgement”
GB News
Dodging the question, he responded: “I think her judgment has been very poor, for example, she should not be in China at the moment talking to the Chinese.
“She is saying that she’s got this £120million a year additional funding coming into the UK economy.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
“Given that the moves in the bond market recently, partly because of the decisions that she has taken taken, it is costing us an estimated £12billion.
“That’s enough to fund 300,000 nurses, for example. So, you know, I think her judgment has been very poor and she had very poor judgment around the budget.”
Camilla pressed: “So she’s underqualified for the job as far as the Tories are concerned, and her judgement has been poor, but you can’t say whether she should be in post or not.
“Take a position on it. Is she good enough to be chancellor or should she resign?”
Reeves’ visit to China marks the first UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue since 2019.
During her trip, the Chancellor met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Beijing to discuss financial services, trade and investment.
The Treasury emphasised that making working people across Britain “secure and better off” was central to Reeves’ mission during the visit.
Her itinerary included visiting British bike brand Brompton’s flagship store in Beijing before travelling to Shanghai for business talks.
Mel Stride appeared to dodge the question
GB News
The Tories said the Chancellor had “come back with next to nothing” from her trip to Beijing, which she ploughed ahead with despite fresh alarm at her economic plans.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer demonstrated this new direction when he became the first British leader in six years to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping during the G20 summit in Brazil last autumn.
Labour’s revised approach particularly focuses on addressing human rights concerns, issues regarding Hong Kong, and allegations of Chinese espionage.