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The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has claimed that a £22bn shortfall in the public finances was “covered up” by the Conservative government. Larry Elliott reportsOn Monday, Rachel Reeves stood in front of a packed House of Commons and accused the Conservative government of covering up that they were overspending by £21.9bn. She announced a series of spending cuts, including cutting the winter fuel payments for 10 million pensioners.“She knows that the key to political success is to take charge of the narrative,” the Guardian’s economics editor, Larry Elliott, tells Helen Pidd. “And the narrative she wants people to buy is that the Tories engaged in a scorched earth policy, left her with an almighty mess, and any tough decisions she has to take, it’s not her fault.” Continue reading...