By Jack Parbrook
Economical with the Truth: UK Chancellor Misrepresents Career
In July 2024, Sir Keir Starmer could have boasted his new cabinet members, with their vast array of experience across the private and public sectors, had incredible CVs. Unfortunately, some of his cabinet members’ CVs, were, in fact, incredible. Chancellor Rachel Reeves used to boast that she spent a decade working as an economist at the Bank of England, but in reality she spent fewer than 6 years there, including the year she took to study for a degree at the LSE. After leaving the Bank of England, she claimed she worked as an economist for Halifax Bank of Scotland, where really she worked as a manager in the customer complaints team; whilst at the bank she was investigated for her use of expenses. Furthermore, Business Secretary Johnathan Reynolds has had to apologise after misrepresenting details of his career. He had claimed to be a solicitor, despite the fact he had only ever been a trainee solicitor, misusing a protected title. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has promised to attempt to have Reynolds prosecuted for his actions.
German Party Accepts Fractious Dynamic’s Beginnings (3): Germany Elects a New Parliament
Germans elected a new government on the 23rd of Februray. It comes after the collapse of the coalition that has governed Germany since December 2021. The centre right CDU and CSU (who belong to the same parliamentary group) received most support and therefore seats in the Bundestag, obtaining 28.6% of the vote. Close behind them were the far-right AfD, who were given 20.8% of the vote. The centre-left SPD received 16.8% of the vote, with the Greens and Der Linke (‘The Left’) filling the remaining seats in the Bundestag. No party has an outright majority, but since all of the parties have agreed not to form any coalitions involving them, the AfD are unlikely be part of any governing coalition. This is due to parts of the AfD (‘Alternative für Deutschland’) being classified as extremist by Germany’s security services and the party’s stuanchly anti-immigration rhetoric, which has attracted controversy. Recently, supporters of the party, were encouraged to chant ‘Alice für Deutschland’, a play on the party leader’s name (Alice Weidel) and a banned Nazi slogan.
Consequently, the most likely outcome is a coalition between the SPD, CDU and the CSU, with Friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU, becoming chancellor. A coalition agreement will likely take several weeks to agree, with the key players having to offer concessions on a number of issues.
Two points major points of contention in Germany are public spending and immigration. The previous government, of which the SPD were a part, collapsed due disputes over Germany’s debt brake, which prevents the government’s deficit from exceeding 0.35% of GDP. The AfD want to leave the brake unchanged, whilst the SPD are keen to get of rid of it; the CDU, thanks to Donald Trump’s stance on Ukraine, seem more amenable altering the brake than they did prior to the election. The AfD, CDU, and SPD all wish to reduce illegal immigration, but their approaches vary. The CDU and AfD want to deport criminals, process asylum claims in foreign countries, and are offering payments to refugees who choose to return to Syria; however, the SPD is keen to deport criminals, but has reservations about processing asylum seekers outside of Germany.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own, and may not reflect the opinions of the St Andrews Economist
Image Source: File:Reichstagsgebäude von Westen.jp
