Politics LIVE: Kemi Badenoch to warn Andy Burnham’s Budget to be worse than Rachel Reeves'

Politics LIVE: Kemi Badenoch to warn Andy Burnham’s Budget to be worse than Rachel Reeves' Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is set to deliver a major speech warning Chancellor John Healey's upcoming Budget will trigger economic chaos. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments live By Aaron Newbury , Political Correspondent, Katie Harris , Senior Political Correspondent 08:48, Tue, Oct 20, 2026 Prime Minister Andy Burnham (Image: Getty) Kemi Badenoch is set to unleash a savage attack on Andy Burnham ’s new Chancellor John Healey in a major speech in Central London. The Tory leader will twist the knife, saying: “John Healey is not Rachel Reeves . Many people see that as an improvement.” But she will warn of a Budget blunder to come: “I’m worried that next week John Healey will deliver a Budget that does more damage to our country than either of Rachel Reeves’ budgets did.” Mrs Badenoch will also hit out at Labour’s spending plans, saying she is “not fooled by made-up spending cuts”. And she will claim 30-year gilt yields have soared above 6%, their highest level since 1998. Delivering her verdict, she will say: “Fictional cuts are not going to cut it. Investors simply aren’t buying it.” Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT The Daily Express will bring you all the latest developments from the heart of Westminster throughout the day; follow for all updates. 29 mins ago 08:48 Aaron Newbury Tories slam Labour for leading to job slow down Conservative Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffifth has taken aim at Labour after new data revealed the lowest vacancies in 12 years outside of the pandemic. He said: "You can't get people into work if there are no jobs for them to go to. "Labour's Jobs Tax, endless red tape and John Healey's refusal to rule out yet another tax grab in his Budget are having devastating consequences for anyone who needs a job. "Instead of kicking the can down the road with ever-higher taxes, John Healey must use his Budget to tackle the youth jobs emergency. He must back Conservative plans to halve the Jobs Tax for young people and scrap the job-killing measures in Labour's Unemployment Act. It is the only way we will get people working again." Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT 37 mins ago 08:40 Katie Harris Rayner plays down Labour civil war over immigration reforms Angela Rayner sought to downplay reports of a Cabinet rift over Shabana Mahmood’s immigration policy and insisted she was “absolutely” behind the Home Secretary’s plans. Asked about reports that Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh publicly criticised Ms Mahmood’s proposals to lengthen the settlement process in a now-deleted online post, the Housing Secretary told LBC: “Yeah, look, I mean, they love saying those girls are all falling out, don’t they? “I mean, it’s just not true. It’s just not true. And actually, if you look at what Shabana’s done, seriously, like the record, you’ve been on this show loads of times, berating the Conservatives for their record on immigration. “Look at what Shabana’s done. The facts, she’s made sure that we’ve got deportations up. I think it’s over 80,000 now. We’ve had 48,000 boats crossings that have been stopped, 82% net migration down. “She’s delivering, and she’s had a consultation on it. She said she wants a fair process, and we’re all up for that.” 60 mins ago 08:17 Aaron Newbury Labour adds £2bn to Defence Black hole Chancellor John Healey is facing a growing black hole in Britain's Defence Budget as he prepares for his big day next week. The former Defence Secretary, who quit from Sir Keir Starmer's front bench in a row over funding , once accused Sir Keir of leaving the country "less safe". Now it has been reported that Labour have axed £2bn from front line defence spending, by shelving plans to develop three new battlefield vehicles. Those vehicles would have been used to recover Boxer Armoured cars if they got damaged in combat. 1 hour ago 08:08 Aaron Newbury Rayner hits out at Justice system A Labour Minister has hit out at the Justice system saying that it has not always "been on the side of those that needed the protection". Speaking this morning Angela Rayner said that there had been "far too many instances recently" of people feeling left behind by the criminal justice system. Ms Rayner returned to the Cabinet months after leaving over a scandal into her tax affairs, where she was found to have not paid the full amount of tax on her £800,000 seafront bolt-hole. The Communities Secretary was asked about a call from Emma Webber, whose son Barnaby was killed in the Nottingham attack, for revenue raised through ending benefits for criminals detained in hospital to go towards victim support services. (Image: Getty) 2 hours ago 07:25 Katie Harris Healey rejects demands to raise capital gains tax at the Budget John Healey has rejected calls to hike capital gains tax at the Budget amid fears it could hit economic growth. Labour politicians including Wes Streeting and Louise Haigh have called in recent months for a rise in the tax, which applies to the profit made from selling off assets like a house or shares. But the Chancellor has ruled out the move after warnings it could end up costing the Government money if wealthy people leave the country or defer selling off assets, according to the Times. Get the latest politics news - straight from our team in Westminster and more I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . 2 hours ago 07:17 Katie Harris Badenoch to give pre-Budget speech this morning Kemi Badenoch will call on the Government to slash spending and reduce how much it is borrowing in a major speech ahead of the Budget. The Conservative leader will urge Andy Burnham and his Chancellor John Healey to “live within our means” by adopting cuts across Government. She will also warn ministers to “stop borrowing so much” to fund public works, as Britain’s borrowing costs have soared higher than those of neighbouring countries in Europe. Andy Burnham Kemi Badenoch John Healey Rachel Reeves Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments