Labour Treasury minister sparks fury after insisting employers are 'not working people' because they are 'companies'

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds told interviewer Camilla Tominey on Sunday that she does not think employers are "working people" because they are "companies," reigniting Labour's long-running manifesto row. The claim came as Reynolds defended the Budget's two-percentage-point income tax rise on landlords and savers. Tory shadow business minister Bradley Thomas branded her remarks "patronising, out-of-touch, politics of envy."

Reynolds was left floundering when Tominey pointed to pie-shop owner Paul Bowen, who employs staff but is struggling under national insurance rises, minimum wage hikes and inflation.

Former minister Helen Whately fumed: 'This attitude is why Labour is killing our economy — they don't understand businesses are built by hard graft.'

The row revives accusations that Labour broke its 2024 manifesto pledge not to raise taxes on working people, after Rachel Reeves hiked employer national insurance just months after the election.