[1andrew1]

Not a big fan of hers, but good to see Reeves not folding to her fanatical US counterpart.

Rachel Reeves clashed with Scott Bessent over Iran war criticism

Dispute between UK chancellor and US Treasury secretary underscores allies’ diverging stances on the conflict

US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent had a fierce row with UK chancellor Rachel Reeves in Washington last month over her outspoken criticism of the Iran war, according to people familiar with the matter.

The chancellor, who was in Washington for the spring meetings of the IMF, gave an interview to CNBC on April 15 claiming the goals of the Iran war had “never been clear”. Reeves expressed the view that she was “not convinced” that “we are safer today than we were a few weeks ago”, prompting furious criticism from Bessent.

When the pair met later that day Bessent berated Reeves over the remarks, according to people familiar with the situation. The Treasury secretary insisted the world was safer because of the US-Israeli war against Iran, even invoking the spectre of Tehran launching a nuclear attack on London.

Reeves responded angrily by telling Bessent she did not work for him and disliked how he had spoken to her.

She also reiterated her argument about the Iran conflict lacking clear goals and not necessarily making the world safer...

The UK’s decision to come out so strongly and publicly in favour of de-escalation has been driven in part by the economic damage the conflict is doing domestically.

In its World Economic Outlook issued that week, the IMF downgraded its forecasts for UK growth by more than any other G7 country, in part because of the heavy blow higher energy prices are expected to inflict on Britain.

https://www.ft.com/content/85f851c6-...syn-25a6b1a6=1