Thursday’s newspapers react to the Spending Review announced by the Chancellor in the Commons yesterday. It won’t come as much of a surprise, but the left and right-wing media had a fairly different reaction to the chancellor’s announcements.
The left’s more positive tone is contrasted by the right wing’s outrage at future tax rises and lack of investment in the police and armed forces.
The Guardian says Pakistan has vowed to strike back after the Indian attack killed dozens of people. The paper says there are concerns that the strikes could escalate into a full-blown war. It speaks to Pakistan’s deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar who is quoted as saying his country would go to “any extent” to defend its dignity after the deadly air strikes.
This headline uses alarmist and loaded language—“BRACE FOR TAX PAIN” and “splashes cash”—to frame Reeves’ spending plans as reckless and costly. Calling it “‘FANTASY’ spending” undermines credibility and suggests impracticality. The focus on taxpayers footing the bill appeals to economic anxiety, a common tactic to provoke backlash against public investment.
The Daily Mail calls the Spending Review “a reckless splurge” which voters will be “paying off for years”. The paper reports that experts warned the scale of the spending, coupled with the deteriorating public finances, will pave the way for another round of damaging tax rises this autumn. The Conservatives accused Reeves of adopting a reckless ‘spend now, tax later’ approach.
This headline uses hyperbole and fear to provoke concern—“reckless splurge” implies irresponsibility, while “we (and our children)” appeals to long-term generational guilt. The huge “£4TRILLION” figure grabs attention and fuels alarm, suggesting unsustainable debt. It’s a classic tactic to frame government spending as dangerous and morally questionable.
The Daily Telegraph picks up on the Pakistani prime minister’s vow to take revenge for “every drop” of blood spilt by India in what the paper calls the “worst clash for decades between the nuclear-armed neighbours.”
This headline uses combative language—“hits police and defence” and “sacrificing security”—to suggest Reeves is undermining national safety. Words like “splurges” and “inevitable” imply reckless spending and unavoidable tax hikes. It’s a strategic framing that pits healthcare against security, using emotionally charged contrasts to criticise budget priorities.
The Times says Reeves has turned on “the tax and spend taps,” and the cash injection is a bid to “help Labour win the next election.” The paper notes the chancellor will have “no choice” but to raise taxes “to keep books balanced.”
This headline uses vivid metaphor—“turns on the tax and spend taps”—to suggest uncontrolled or excessive government spending. The word “splurge” adds a sense of recklessness, while “bets” frames the policy as risky or speculative. Though it references renewal, the overall tone is sceptical, casting doubt on the plan’s realism or prudence.
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