‘I used to be within the Commons as Rachel Reeves stared down her critics with a punchy Spring Statement’

Today wasn’t supposed to be a big deal.

But all eyes were on Rachel Reeves as MPs packed out the Commons to hear the Spring Statement.

There were some stony faces on the Labour benches as the Chancellor revealed the gloomy verdict from the Government spending watchdog – and fresh cuts to sickness and disability benefits.

Ms Reeves stood firm, saying there was nothing Labour about people being locked out of work.

Pointing to figures showing one in eight young people are not in work, education or training, she said: “We will not stand for it, it is a waste of their potential and a waste of their futures.”

But Labour MPs sat behind her looked gloomy as she set out her arguments for cutting the benefit bill.

Some nodded and cheered as she said Labour wanted people back to work – but it was muted compared to the response to the Budget in October.

Reeves stared down her Tory critics, telling them it was ordinary working people who suffered most from Liz Truss’s kamikaze mini Budget.

Labour MPs pointed angrily across the House at moaning Tories who shouted in anger as she reminded them of their economic record.

As she said her plans would drive up growth, one Tory shouted “Where is it?”

But Reeves had a rabbit to pull out of the hat.

Planning reforms designed to drive up housebuilding will increase GDP by 0.2% by the end of the decade – bringing an extra £6.8bn into the economy.

And Labour MPs sounded truly delighted when she revealed that while the growth forecast is being halved for this year to 1% – it will go up to 1.9% in 2026 and stay around that level into 2029.

She had more good news – living standards are expected to go up compared to the Budget predictions – leaving ordinary Brits £500 better off.

Today’s event was not a Budget – no tax rises, nothing on cigarettes, booze or fuel

It was meant to be a temperature check on the economy.

But events had forced Ms Reeves’s hand, including global uncertainty and trade turbulence triggered by Donald Trump.

The mood going into it was dire, not helped by the chaos of the disability benefit cuts which have left many Labour MPs furious.

But Ms Reeves had clearly lifted some of their spirits by the end of the speech.