Harriet Harman Urges Cabinet Unity Amid Budget Cuts, Warns of Leadership’s Ruthless Stance on Leaks

Harriet Harman states that cabinet ministers need to agree to reductions in their budgets, according to comments made on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast. She also mentioned that Sir Keir Starmer needs to decisively handle any individuals who have expressed their discontent through the media.

Political journalist @Journoamrogers

Thursday, October 17, 2024, 2:

Baroness Harriet Harman has urged cabinet ministers who have expressed dissatisfaction prior to the budget announcement to cease their grievances regarding reductions.

The Labour Lord, who also hosts Sky News' Electoral Dysfunction podcast, stated that all cabinet members are obligated to adhere to collective accountability for government actions and were aware that the budget would be tough.

Baroness Harman, who has previously served as a minister and deputy leader, also expressed her anticipation that Sir Keir Starmer would decisively deal with those who had disclosed the internal disputes to the press.

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The Prime Minister is facing challenges managing his senior cabinet as several ministers bypassed Chancellor Rachel Reeves and approached him directly, requesting a relaxation of the proposed spending reductions ahead of the budget announcement.

Sir Keir and Ms Reeves have consistently emphasized that the upcoming budget, scheduled for October 30, will be challenging and involve tough choices, noting that the initially reported funding gap of £22 billion has now escalated to approximately £40 billion.

However, it is believed that several cabinet members have expressed worries regarding the extent of reductions required in certain sectors to accommodate salary increases and additional expenditures in other areas.

Reports indicate that Downing Street has been approached with grievances from three distinct government branches: the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Transport, and the Ministry of Justice.

Tune into the complete episode of Electoral Dysfunction this Friday morning, or keep up with updates right here.

The Labour peer stated that the "truth" is that "tough choices" are being faced among various government departments concerning budget reductions and tax increases, leading to inevitable dissatisfaction for all parties involved.

"She explained on the podcast that permanent secretaries are likely to inform the minister, 'Given the scale of the cuts we're facing, this department can't function. We need to appeal to the prime minister.'"

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Baroness Harman noted that this occurrence is a recurring event, stating, "every single time." She emphasized, however, "There should also be a collective responsibility… the agreement is that being part of the cabinet, if you are appointed and accept the position, is voluntary; no one is compelled to join the cabinet.

"Keir Starmer has expressed that deciding on the budget was a difficult choice. Prior to the election, Rachel Reeves had also made statements regarding this issue."

"They've committed to that by taking a cabinet role and they should agree to share responsibility."

She also called on the prime minister to address the individuals who had chosen to express their discontent through the media, stating: "Regarding the issue of leaks, we engaged in a debate last week on whether it's appropriate to label Keir Starmer as ruthless, or if terms like determined, committed, purposeful might be more suitable.

"Indeed, once he inevitably discovers the source of the leaks, I believe he will be quite uncompromising."

"Their department has issued a letter expressing strong objections to Rachel Reeves' budget, indicating he will take a tough stance on the issue."

Earlier today, Sky News reported that ahead of Labour's inaugural budget in over a decade, numerous government departments did not meet the deadline to finalize their spending agreements, indicating increasing disorder.

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The end of Wednesday marked the final deadline for submitting all significant budget-related decisions to the fiscal oversight body, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

From this point forward, only minor adjustments are expected to be made to the budget and fiscal review for the upcoming financial year starting in April.

The Treasury has minimized the importance of the delay, stating it's not uncommon, and has dismissed claims that budget agreements are being forced on departments that haven't finalized their plans before the chancellor's announcement.

The "Electoral Dysfunction" podcast launches tomorrow and you can listen to it by visiting: https://podfollow.com/electoraldysfunction

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