GB News' Nana Akua erupts over Rachel Reeves 'hypocritical' UK plan

GB News presenter Nana Akua erupted with fury during Monday's (October 20) episode of Good Afternoon Britain, as she addressed Chancellor Rachel Reeves' comments about the UK economy. The broadcaster was joined by her co-host, Tom Harwood, and Labour Councillor Stuart Fawcett as she suggested Reeves should take responsibility for the consequences of her decision to increase National Insurance for businesses. This comes after the politician claimed that the long-term damage to the economy was a result of the 2020 Brexit deal.

In recent published remarks, the Chancellor told the world's leading finance ministers and central bankers: "The UK's productivity challenge has been compounded by the way in which the UK left the European Union." Hitting back at these comments, Nana fumed: "In 2019, she [Reeves] made a speech in the House of Commons which explained why you should never raise National Insurance on employers or employees, because there's a growth tax, yet she has done exactly that."

The fuming presenter continued: "Why can't she own the problem that has created, which means no growth, employers not employing people, which means her tax take is smaller, which means the economy is less productive."

Fawcett responded: "I'm pleased you've put that one forward becasue I think it comes back to the consensus we have on the British economy and the way we spend money, which mirrors that of a household budget or even a business's budget

"So for business turnovers that counter £1billion a year currently we're 90% of GDP, so we're nearly £1billion in debt in order to that as a country, if we were to mirror that."

He continued: "So if that was a household, if your household income was £30,000, you have £30,000 of debt in order to make that happen, that is not a sustainable way of doing it. Now what are your choices, to cut what your spending or to imcrease that ceiling by making more growth?"

Nana chimed: "It's her own fault, isn't it, because they came up with the rules of no raising the income tax, no raising the VAT and no raising the national insurance.

"So, if she had more freedom and flexibility to perhaps raise income tax then that would've been wiser. These are all things that she put in place, so this is her fault.

"How she has the audacity to start blaming Brexit when we can all clearly see that the fact that inflation has risen is really a lot of ot down to the policies that they put forward."

The presenter added: "I find it just shocking that she then thinks it's wise, whilst in America, to then blame Brexit."

This comes ahead of the November budget, as Reeves previously announced tax rises worth £40bn a year at her first Budget last November, including hikes to payroll taxes paid by employers, and insisted she would not have to repeat the move in subsequent years.