Question
It is very clear that the Chancellor does not know how to get a grip on borrowing, so let me tell him. The Conservatives have laid out plans to cut over £70 billion of spending, and he is very welcome to copy them. The Prime Minister is thousands of miles away talking about wasting taxpayers’ money on reparations and debt forgiveness. This Government are happy to apologise for things that happened centuries ago but take no accountability of their actions today. Does the Chancellor agree that not a penny of taxpayers’ money should be used on reparations?
Answer
The Prime Minister has said that he is open to discussions about an apology for Britain’s role in the slave trade. He has also said that reparations are not the right approach. Considering a formal apology does not mean accepting that British people today should be held liable for the past, which they played no part in. The hon. Gentleman asks this question to distract from the Budget, but the questions that people are asking are these. Why does he not back the Budget action we have taken to give Britain a bit of breathing space? Why does he not back the action we are taking to fund that help this winter?43% point-scoring
Verdict: AMBER (40/100)
The reply states clearly that reparations are not the right approach and gives a reason: people in Britain today should not be held liable for past actions. However, it attributes the position to the Prime Minister rather than the Chancellor, and it does not address the question of taxpayer funding. The asker would likely need to follow up on the funding point and on who holds the position.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the Chancellor agrees that no taxpayers' money should be used on reparations. | Partially Addressed | Direct | The reply states that reparations are not the right approach (seq 2) and gives a reason, that British people today should not be held liable for the past (seq 3), which implies no reparations payments. However, it attributes the position to the Prime Minister rather than the Chancellor, and never addresses the taxpayer-funding element the item names, so the answer is only partly responsive. |