Budget 2025: Keir Starmer’s high aide hits again at ‘saving PM’s job’ declare in TV trade
Darren Jones, the Prime Minister’s chief secretary, said Rachel Reeves’ Budget will ‘meet the needs of the country’ and pushed back when asked if the plans were about saving the PM’s job
Keir Starmer’s top No10 aide has denied that today’s Budget will be about staving off a leadership challenge.
Darren Jones, the Prime Minister’s chief secretary, said there are “another three Budgets” before the next general election as he pushed back against leadership speculation. He said Chancellor Rachel Reeves is “on fighting form” and he hosed down claims that today is a make-or-break day for the top Labour duo.
Asked by Sky News’ Sophy Jones whether the Budget was drawn up to ensure Mr Starmer is still in place in 2029, Mr Jones said the Chancellor’s decisions will “meet the needs of the country”.
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He said: “No, I mean, we’ve got another three years, another three budgets probably to go until the 2029 election. This is a budget that’s dealing with the public’s concerns and on the world as we find it.
“I mean, the Chancellor’s made no secret of the fact that it’s a challenging budget because of what’s going on, whether it’s on the cost of government debt or changing global tariffs and trade in the economy and those types of issues.
“But no, this is a budget which meets the needs of the country and helps deliver on our promise of change.” Mr Jones went on: “This is a Budget that’s going to help tackle the cost of living.
“It’s going to keep our investment in the NHS and get waiting lists down, and it’s going to bring down the national debt, because we know that’s been a real problem for us over the last 14, 15 years – where we’re spending £1 in £10 of taxpayers’ money paying that interest, which no one wants to do, of course.
“So this is going to be a big budget that drives against those issues. These are the public’s concerns.”
Ms Reeves is scrambling to fill a massive black hole in the public finances. Meanwhile there has been increased speculation about Mr Starmer’s position after his supporters went on the attack over rumoured rivals.
Last week the PM told The Mirror he would be in charge at the next election.
He said: “Let me be really clear – every minute that’s not spent talking about and dealing with the cost of living is a minute wasted of the political work of this Government.
“That’s my response to last week. I remain utterly focused on what matters to me most, which is bearing down on the cost of living and making people feel better off.”
