![\"LONDON,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI_296907276-0297.jpg\")
\n\t\tReaders discuss Liz Truss\u2019 mini budget, economic growth and a trade deficit with the EU (Picture: Anadolu)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tReaders discuss Liz Truss\u2019 mini budget, economic growth and a trade deficit with the EU (Picture: Anadolu)<\/p>\n
Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t‘The government has three options’, says reader\t\t\t<\/p>\n
As Labour struggle to make progress in fixing the country, one name keeps popping into my head \u2013 Liz Truss<\/a>.<\/p>\n The state runs on borrowing. David Cameron<\/a> promised to cut the deficit but austerity cost us growth and money in the long run, while Brexit<\/a> has been bad for business. Then Covid<\/a> hit and the government<\/a> had to borrow even more.<\/p>\n This wouldn\u2019t be so bad if it wasn\u2019t for Truss and her disastrous mini-budget. The markets lost confidence in our ability to pay our debts, so the interest rates rose dramatically and now we\u2019re paying huge interest on our debt, which we can only pay back if there\u2019s less spending or more tax revenue.<\/p>\n Chancellor Rachel Reeves wants that revenue to increase by getting more people into work and earning higher wages. But the way to make that happen is by investing in people \u2013 and there\u2019s no money to invest. There are three possible solutions. The first is to borrow more money and hope the investment pays back enough in taxes to cover the cost. Reeves says she won\u2019t do that.<\/p>\n The second is to cut spending. It makes sense to cut the state pension<\/a>, the largest part of the welfare bill, but that\u2019s extremely unpopular.<\/p>\n The third (and best, in my view) is to raise tax rates. In theory, the best way to do this is to tax wealth rather than work but people argue that the super-rich will then move elsewhere.<\/p>\n Whether they actually will is a separate argument \u2013 but if they do, then we must work with other countries to close tax loopholes, increase wealth taxes and get money to where it needs to be. Ellie Jaeger, Leighton Buzzard<\/p>\n The government has grown the economy <\/p>\n With the right economic plan in place, the government has grown the economy<\/a> by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.<\/p>\n So, yes, of course, the best thing we can do now is have a leadership election in said government or put our faith in the leader of the Anti-Federalist League\/Ukip\/Brexit Party\/Reform or whichever party brand he is hiding under until he is found out again. Great. Bobby Jones, Kidbrooke<\/p>\n \u2018A nation divided between those who can afford to live and those who find it impossible\u2019 <\/p>\n People are suffering. Some are starving. Bills, mortgages and rents cannot be paid. We are a nation divided between those who can afford to live and those who find the cost of living<\/a> impossible.<\/p>\n The chancellor goes around saying how good the economy is\u2026 she should be sacked and Labour replaced by a party that cares about the people of this country. Shirley Maher, Londo<\/p>\n Did Brexit or lockdown cause greater damage to the economy? <\/p>\n Sally Anne Smith (MetroTalk, Thu<\/a>) says Brexit has proven to be an \u2018absolute failure that has damaged our country\u2019.<\/p>\n The biggest damage by far to our country was lockdown, costing taxpayers around \u00a3400billion. Add a dose of inflation after Russia<\/a>\u2019s invasion of Ukraine and I defy anyone to disentangle a negative Brexit effect of any note.<\/p>\n EU fans claim that UK trade with the EU has reduced while ignoring that trade with the rest of the world has increased.<\/p>\n Given our trade with the rest of the world is in surplus \u2013 while we still have a huge trade deficit with the EU \u2013 a move away from the EU seems preferable.<\/p>\n Sally Anne claims immigration is not a major problem \u2013 but if the population had remained stable, would house prices have surged by twice or even three times inflation? No. Julian, Orpington<\/p>\n Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow
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