A Conservative peer has suggested that policies are being “Taylor-ed Swift-ly” under the new Labour Government, following changes to the ministerial code.

As members of the upper chamber debated the Chancellor’s Budget, Lord Dobbs suggested some workers are “luckier than others”.

“Some can find a helpful handout, the odd football ticket, occasional concert ticket, even a friendly local clothes bank,” he added.

The ministerial code was updated last week, with the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser now able to launch investigations into wrongdoing by ministers without his consent.

It comes after Sir Keir Starmer and some of his Cabinet ministers were involved in a donations row for accepting gifts, including free Taylor Swift concert tickets and clothing paid for by a donor.

During the debate, the House of Cards author argued there would be “fewer” workers following the Budget, adding: “You cannot raise £40 billion without hammering ordinary people.”

Opening his contribution on Monday, Lord Dobbs admitted: “I thought some of our budgets were pretty rubbish over the years.”

He went on to say: “Labour of course is the party of the workers, for the workers, ‘up the workers’. Trouble is, there are going to be fewer workers as a result of this Budget.

“You cannot raise £40 billion without hammering ordinary people. The increase in national insurance is going to be passed on to employees, no matter what the Chancellor has offered.

“In ordinary English that means lower pay, slower hiring, fewer jobs, and fewer workers. It’s sad, it’s unintended I’m sure, but it’s inevitable.

Lord Dobbs
Lord Dobbs (Ian West/PA)

“But this is a Government of change, they’ve said that; perhaps they will change this?

“After all they changed their chief of staff pretty quickly.”

He added: “Some workers, of course, are luckier than others, some can find a helpful handout, the odd football ticket, occasional concert ticket, even a friendly local clothes bank.

“That was something else that was changed of course, once it all became public, another policy, how can I put it, that seems to have been Taylor-ed Swift-ly to the moment.”

The peer also criticised the Government’s plans for freeports, saying: “Did you notice they changed their policy on freeports?

“Two days before the Budget, Prime Minister announced they would create five new freeports, I thought that was rather a good idea personally, but then that policy changed too.

“No new freeports at all. A Number 10 official explained what had happened: they had misread the email from next door, it was in his quoted words ‘a total cock-up’ – no change there then.”