Labour Keeps Picking Fights With the Wrong Targets: Martin Ivens

Rachel Reeves has the rare distinction among Britain’s chancellors of bearing the description ‘professional economist’ on her CV. Mysteriously, she’s managed to turn that net positive into a negative. Reeves isn’t alone in this trait: in its first months in power, the UK government seems to be enacting a drama which might be called “How to Make Enemies and Not Influence People.”

A swathe of interest groups from pensioners, parents struggling with school fees and farmers on the end of inheritance tax hikes have been enraged by Labour. A major tax-raising budget was never going to be popular, but Reeves has made unnecessary enemies. ...