Reeves dollops blame on Tories as she outlines choices

This was Rachel Reeves’s first big moment as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Less than four weeks after Labour’s election victory, her statement was entitled Spending Inheritance and she delivered it from the despatch box.

She was eyeing her predecessor Jeremy Hunt, now sitting on the opposition benches, who was quietly seething throughout.

It represents her first big set of choices, as she tries to convince you, the voter, that her approach to managing the economy is better than what came before.

This was principally a political moment, an attempt by the new government to dollop blame on the Conservatives while serving up the first helping of difficult stuff to announce.

The cuts came today, the tax rises are expected in the Budget in October.

The stand-out announcements were on public sector pay: a hoped-for end to scratchy industrial relations, strikes by junior doctors and disruption for the public.

But it does come with a hefty price tag.