# The budget, the black hole and the Brexit blame game

An episode of [Politics Weekly UK](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/136697472), 20 Oct 2025, 28 min.

Audio: https://flex.acast.com/audio.guim.co.uk/2025/10/20-58724-The_budget_the_blackhole_and_the_Brexit_blame_game.mp3

Rachel Reeves is facing difficult choices before her second budget next month and has been busy preparing the ground. In a significant shift in the government’s narrative, Reeves has – at last – stressed the long-term damage done to the UK economy by Brexit. Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss the options available to the chancellor and whether the pivot to blaming Brexit will convince the public. Plus, what a foul-mouthed meeting tells us about Reform, why the imminent result of Labour’s deputy leader contest matters, and what parliament can do about Prince Andrew. Send your thoughts and questions to politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

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