A member of the BBC Question Time audience absolutely eviscerated Chancellor Rachel Reeves with one simple query, as the panel discussed the "gloom" around the recently announced Autumn Budget. Audience member Emma had a question for Labour representative James Murray, and didn't hold back as host Fiona Bruce went to her.

Emma said: "With Chancellor Rachel Reeves taxing everything and everybody in sight, what is the point of working hard and being aspirational?" Host Fiona responded: "Right, so you sound pretty fed up, Emma, with the Budget, which we heard yesterday. James, obviously I'm going to come to you, but I'm just gonna go round the panel a little bit first. Luke - what's the point of working hard and being aspirational, that's what Emma asked."

She turned to businessman Luke Johnson, who responded: "Yeah, it's very depressing, isn't it Emma? I'm afraid this was a Budget for people who receive welfare and benefits, and not for working people, which I thought the Labour party was for.

"The truth is, they've increased taxes, they are increasing debt, they're increasing unemployment and things feel pretty bleak. I cannot remember a time over 40 years in business in this country where investors and entrepreneurs and employers are as demoralised as they are.

"The idea that this government said their priority was growth - there is no growth! There's only spending and more borrowing and higher taxes and higher regulation. This will not have a good ending.

"It's not how prosperous and happy societies become that way. The government needs to think a lot harder about spending our taxpayer money wisely."

Fiona quizzed him: "What would you like to have seen?" and the entrepreneur said: "I'd like to have seen, for example, a wholesale rethink of our disastrous energy policies.

"We have the highest energy costs for business of any comparable country. Net Zero is destroying our manufacturing industry, and without a manufacturing industry we can never defend ourselves, because we'll have no defence industry."