BLUNDERING Kemi Badenoch tripped herself up today when she attacked the appointment of TUC general secretary Paul Nowak to the board of the Bank of England.

The Conservative leader was apparently unaware that Mr Nowak was replacing his Congress House predecessor Frances O’Grady, who was named to the board by the Tory government.

She tweeted that “if you weren’t sure what kind of Labour government we have, or want to know what’s in store for you and your family finances,” Mr Nowak’s appointment “is a big clue and it’s not good news.”

Ms Badenoch was joined in her misjudgement by Reform deputy leader Richard Tice, who said: “Our socialist Chancellor has dished out a big Bank of England finance job to a socialist union boss who knows nothing about finance.

“Clearly, trade union donations not only buy your way into government policymaking, but also onto the Bank of England’s board.”

Clearly Ms Badenoch and Mr Tice were also unaware that the board has no role in setting economic policy or interest rates, and that the TUC does not make political donations.