Tory-Labour floor crosser Christian Wakeford (left) and Andy Burnham (centre) in the audience in Bury Met Theatre here to hear Rachel Reeves’ economy speech
Christian Wakeford is introducing Rachel Reeves “It’s been an interesting week…It’s an honour if not a surprise to be here”…
Rachel Reeves notes that Bury was the birthplace of Robert Peel - a Tory PM who put the interests of working people over the rich elite by abolishing the corn law & splitting the Tories in the process - says it’s appropriate then to be welcoming Christian Wakeford…
Rachel Reeves says Britain has had a “lost decade” of growth under the Conservatives - compares the UK to Japan since the 1990s
Reeves stresses twice that she used to work for the Bank of England
@BenChu_ reminded me of covering Michel Barnier, who repreatedly stressed at every opportunity that he used to be an agriculture minister and young Gaullist