GB News was interrupted for a major breaking alert as presenter Martin Daubney announced that Chancellor Rachel Reeves could be replaced. Daubney stated: "We hear today that Shabana Mahmood is set to become the next Chancellor. The Home Secretary at present is expected to succeed Rachel Reeves within Andy Burnham's government."
Reports of Shake-Up in Burnham's Government
This comes after reports that Prime Minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham will ensure a major shake-up as he enters Downing Street following Keir Starmer's resignation. Although Burnham's spokesperson said no decisions had been made about who he would appoint, it was reported that Reeves would be placed in a more junior cabinet position within Government.
Other names in the frame for the Chancellor job include former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, outgoing Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones, and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
Reform UK MP Criticises Labour's Talent Pool
During GB News, Daubney was joined by Reform UK MP Lee Anderson, who pushed back on the presenter's claim that Mahmood has been "tough on immigration." Anderson stated: "She's not been tough on immigration at all, and this is just a case of shuffling the deck chairs. It's a pretty poor talent pool for the Labour front bench; she's probably the best of a very, very bad bunch, but thank goodness it's not Ed Miliband."
The politician claimed: "He [Miliband] strikes fear into the heart of every single person in Ashfield, a place where I represent. Every time I go to a business, they say that his net zero policies are killing their businesses, their trade, and making it really difficult for them to survive."
Anderson added: "There's no talent in the Labour front bench, not one of them runs a business. If you can't run a business, how can you run a country?"
Mahmood's Potential Appointment and Economic Plans
Mahmood is understood to have spoken to Burnham in recent days to discuss wider political strategy beyond the Home Office, including the economy, but according to The Guardian, her allies insisted she had not been told she was going to the Treasury.
If she is confirmed as Chancellor on Monday, the MP for Birmingham Ladywood would be tasked with drawing up an emergency cost-of-living package. This could include targeted support for energy bills, a rent freeze, and a cap on bus fares.
Mahmood would then start work on an autumn Budget, with Burnham telling former BBC pundit Gary Lineker on Wednesday that he may "ask for a little bit more" in tax as he refused to rule out imposing a wealth tax.
