Rachel Reeves suggests if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – as fight to keep her job goes on

‘Now is not the time to put our economic stability at risk,’ Reeves warned. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty Images

The message from Rachel Reeves is clear. After Britain’s economy defied the predictions for a slump in March, despite the fallout from the Iran war, why put things at risk with a roll of the dice in domestic politics?

Responding to bumper growth of 0.3% in March – much stronger than City economists’ forecasts for a 0.2% contraction – the chancellor said the figures showed she had the right economic plan, in a comment laced with subtext.