Oops! I Did It Again
Budget Season, Housing Scandals & Populist Snapbacks
Joseph’s in a bad mood. Andrew’s six minutes late. Holly’s podcasting from a cow-filled Cumbrian farm. And somehow, this chaotic start perfectly mirrors the week in politics we’re about to unpack.
In this week’s Issue Scan, we tackle three big stories:
💸 1. Carney’s Budget of Austerity (Without Saying “Austerity”)
We preview Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first federal budget, which the Liberals are billing as transformational — but may look a lot like a cutback budget with better PR.
Spending cuts to government operations
Big promises on defence, trade and climate
An electorate with zero patience and plummeting expectations
“It’s starting to feel like Canadians don’t want change — they want certainty.”
We debate:
Is this a red-tinted version of David Cameron’s ‘Age of Austerity’?
Will progressive voters tolerate fiscal discipline?
And what happens if the elbow-throwing on trade still doesn’t land a deal with Trump?
🏘 2. Rachel Reeves’ Rental Row: A Crisis of Detail
The UK Chancellor has a problem: two letters, one missed license, and a husband who didn’t “sort it.”
We break down:
The timeline of the scandal
What it reveals about Labour’s growing housing PR headache
And why this is more than just “admin error”
Lipstick on a Gerbil Score: 🧴
1 coat — “She said she took responsibility. But mostly blamed everyone else.”
“If this were a Tory, Labour would have eaten them alive. But now? Just more letters on Starmer’s desk.”
🇳🇱 3. Dutch Election Surprise: Populists Rejected?
Andrew brings us a European update as the Dutch electorate gives populism a timeout — rejecting Geert Wilders and rewarding centrist parties.
What went wrong for the populists this time?
Is this a snapback to the centre or a one-off?
And what could it mean for Farage-style politics elsewhere?
“Populists won power, disappointed voters, and got punished. So what comes next?”
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